The recent rumors that the Indiana Pacers have opened their doors for trade business sent shockwaves through the NBA Tuesday morning. They have many players at every skill level who will draw interest around the league, from All-Stars like Domantas Sabonis to role players like Torrey Craig and Justin Holiday.
Let’s take a peek at three win-win trades based on the NBA rumors to help playoff-contending teams bolster their talent while jump-starting the Pacers’ rebuild.
Indiana Pacers trades based on recent NBA rumors: Myles Turner trade to the Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte receives: Myles Turner, 2022 second-round pick
Pacers receive: James Bouknight, Kai Jones, Mason Plumlee
Let’s start with Myles Turner, whose rim protection (2.8 blocks per game, tops in the league) and floor spacing abilities (39.5% from three) would be a natural fit on almost any team in the association. But one team with a terrible defense and desperate need for a center immediately comes to mind: the Charlotte Hornets.
This trade is a win-win. The Hornets are 14-12 and in the midst of a serious playoff push. They’ve shown enough upside that escaping the play-in tournament should be the expectation, not just an aspirational goal.
Adding Turner would provide yet another shooter to a squad filled with bombers. More importantly, Turner would shore up the Hornets’ terrible rim defense. They currently give up the fourth-most shots at the rim, and opponents convert a very high 65.8% of shots taken there, per Cleaning the Glass.
For the Pacers, they would get two mid-first-round 2021 draftees. Neither has seen the court much this season for a deep, competitive Hornets team, but they would have all the playing time they could handle on a rebuilding Pacers squad.
Jones is a raw, athletic prospect who hinted at a versatile offensive game in college. Bouknight is a score-first guard whose sweet shooting stroke belies iffy efficiency.
Both players have oodles of upside but no guarantee of being solid rotation players, and they aren’t likely to help the Hornets in the near future. Plumlee is a serviceable veteran who can mentor younger players and provide steadying center play for 20 minutes a night.