The Indiana Pacers are in a problematic situation after getting swept by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row. The Pacers also fired head coach Nate McMillan shortly after the playoff series loss.
This move by the Pacers’ front office shocked many NBA fans due to McMillan’s short success in Indiana, but this move clearly displays the Pacers’ intentions for the coming future. The Pacers have been stuck in mediocrity for a while, and their last playoff series win dates back to their Eastern Conference run in 2014.
The Pacers found a star in Victor Oladipo after acquiring him from the Thunder. Oladipo proved himself an all-star in the 2017-18 season, but then suffered a tragic injury in the midst of the 2018-19 season which caused him to miss the rest of the season and a part of the following season as well.
Oladipo has not returned to his full self since but has slowly been recovering. There has been talk among the league about Oladipo leaving as an unrestricted free agent in the 2020-21 offseason. If the Pacers want to avoid Oladipo leaving in free agency, they need to package him in a trade.
Proposed Trade:
Pacers Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, 2020 2nd pick, and 2021 FRP
Warriors Receive: Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner, and 2020 SRP
This trade would work great for both teams. The Warriors could use an above-average center to pair with their guard duo. Myles Turner can space the floor for the Warriors and grab boards while not congesting the paint with Draymond. Victor Oladipo is a perfect athletic defender to put alongside Stephen Curry, and to play while Curry sits.
Although this seems like a no-brainer for the Warriors, the Pacers would also be able to acquire a pure scorer in Andrew Wiggins as well as a center for the bench. This also allows for Sabonis to work the paint alone and truly become the producer for the team. The Pacers would also have the 2nd overall pick and another first-round pick that could have immense trade value.
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