Latest reports indicate the Pacers are currently taking trade requests for Obi Toppin in order to clear salary and have the ability to re-sign Myles Turner. One of the simplest and easy trades would involve sending Obi home to NYC while also reuniting with Bogdanovic just for a few months.

Bogdanovic has yet to see the floor this year, but is making progress to returning soon. He could slide right into the Pacers second unit and free Jarace Walker to play his natural position at the 4 rather than the 3.

Brooklyn gives up the minimal price of a 2nd round pick for a role guy in Toppin, on a good long term deal, and very willing to take part in the rebuild if it means he gets to be home.

Jackson contract thrown in for salary match….

The Pacers land the starting wing they desperately need in Cam Johnson, shooting 40%+ from beyond the arc and adding length for better wing defense. Add in Wilson for more forward depth and to help the Nets stay under the luxury tax line.

The Nets gain a 1st round pick and two 2nd round picks (knowing that Utah pick is a higher value 2nd), while also clearing future salary and adding Toppin long term on a reasonable deal for his NYC homecoming. He won’t be a threat to want to leave while being a solid role guy in a rebuild.

Warriors gain Nesmith for a cheap price of two low-contribution players. Nesmith’s contract is a great fit for one final rebuild around Curry and they take on that salary long term from the Nets….

The Pacers have too many capable guards than they can handle and if there’s one that could go on the trading block, I can see it being Andrew Nembhard. The Spurs are a great fit to buy on him for their present and the future.

Why the Pacers do it

The Pacers have the good problem of too many capable guards. Between Haliburton, Nembhard, Mathurin, McConnell, and Sheppard, there aren’t enough minutes to go around. It also appears Mathurin could be on the verge of a leap. If he progresses, it would be negligent to either have him come off the bench or play him out of natural position at SF.

The opportunity to cash in on Nembhard will be in the few weeks before the trade deadline. The goal would be draft capital with his small $2 million salary this season. If they can find that deal, it not only nets them a future pick, but frees up the salary space to re-sign Turner long-term. A major win-win-win between a pick, Turner, and a starting spot for Mathurin.

The best price they can expect …

So far, the Lakers are striking out on free agency and making any sign and trades happen, or any trades in general. LeBron’s frustration is growing after he was willing to take a pay cut, but not anymore.

Lots of clear Rich Paul/Klutch Sports leaks out there for Lakers trade talks towards two of his clients. Jerami Grant and Collin Sexton. In Grant’s case, it’s unlikely a deal gets done with that contract. The Lakers don’t have the assets to make it work.

Pivot to Sexton, and that’s a deal that can get done. Not only that, he’s an underrated guard who can be a really strong fit, forming a trio with James and Davis. Danny Ainge will do anything to continue to stockpile first round picks for the Utah Jazz to eventually make his star move.

This has to be worth it for the Jazz. They need not just one, but two valuable trade assets to give up Sexton and take on the contracts to make it work. Hence, Reaves gets shipped to Utah along with the coveted 2029 1st rounder. Ainge is happy to sto…

The Pacers need to upgrade at the small forward position to be better contenders. Jerami Grant, a player whose 3 and D abilities fit really well on almost any team, is a strong upgrade trade target.

I know, his contract is a lot. I know, Simon never pays the luxury tax. Here’s why both of those arguments may not be as big as we think they are.

Grant’s contract is a lot when it was signed. It won’t be over the next few years. The salary range for a 21 ppg forward is going to skyrocket with the new tv deals and salary cap rise. Once those kick in, the last three years of Grant’s contract will look like a good fit or an outright steal.

If Simon was ever going to go back into the luxury tax, this is the season to do it. It could be fairly minimal and this move helps establish your core four of Turner, Siakam, Grant, and Haliburton for years to come, pending a Turner extension gets done in 2025. That core, at their new rates, with the rising cap, can be manageable to stay under the luxur…

The Indiana Pacers far exceeded expectations this year and now they have good problems.

The good problem is the bill for success is coming due. It’s a good problem that your budding all star made all-pro, but now he’s getting $7.1 million more next year and more in future years.

It’s a good problem that you traded a minimal amount for Pascal Siakam, but now you have to pay him a hefty contract to keep him. I don’t know if the Pacers will do the max contract, but rather a contract just below the bird rights max and above what other teams can offer. I’d prefer a $40, $43, $46, $49, $52 (millions) five-year deal. Total of $230 million. No other team can put that on the table and few states can beat Indiana taxes, so it’s the happy medium of what both sides will want.

It’s good that the Suns matched the Ayton deal and the Pacers have Turner who works well beside Siakam, but he’s heading into the last year of his contract and needs an extension. I’ll bet the Pacers do what they did last …

It's time. The Cavs are on the verge of accepting a rebuild and have the opportunity to do it the right way for the long term. Luckily, the two pieces going out can establish a core four they can hold on to for years to come. It's already leaked that Cleveland knows it needs to keep one of Mitchell or Garland, and one of Mobley or Allen. The answer is obvious that Mobley and Garland should be the plan with team control.

Mitchell to the New York market seems inevitable and the Nets are looking with all of their draft capital. It seems to be a great fit of flipping Mitchell for the long term pieces of Cam Thomas as a future starting SG along with 5 first round picks and 2 second rounders. Cleveland will have the RFA rights to Thomas at this point. To make the salaries work, Ben Simmons is coming to Cleveland. For Brooklyn fans, a relief to clear that contract. For Cleveland, a one year roll of the dice to see if he can bounce back in his career. It is significant that he just underwent …

If everything is going south between Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs this offseason, make the move that fills seats, gives the team an invested leader, and a shot at one last title on a farewell tour of one or two years. If they trade Mitchell for picks and role guys, it will never amount to the value of getting LeBron back.

Cavs roll out a starting lineup of Allen, Mobley, James, Reaves, and Garland. Strus is a good 6th man to have.

Mitchell gets what he wants in a bigger market and plays very well as a pairing with AD. Lakers have a new, younger star with a brighter future in this pairing….

If everything is going south between Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs this offseason, make the move that fills seats, gives the team an invested leader, and a shot at one last title on a farewell tour of one or two years. If they trade Mitchell for picks and role guys, it will never amount to the value of getting LeBron back.

Cavs roll out a starting lineup of Allen, Mobley, James, Reaves, and Garland.

Mitchell gets what he wants in a bigger market and plays very well as a pairing with AD. Lakers have a new, younger star with a brighter future in this pairing….

The Pacers are a fringe all star player away from being a more legitimate top team in the East. The avenues of finding that player via free agency or draft in the years ahead doesn’t look good, so it’s time to push the chips in on a 20+ ppg wing, who is locked into a long term deal. Jerami Grant has the potential to be a fantastic fit, but we have to acknowledge he would push the budget to the max with a Siakam extension in play. The Simon family is not one to enter the luxury tax area, but has said in the past they’d be willing if they feel they have a true contender.

Pacers starters: Haliburton, Nembhard, Grant, Siakam, and Turner.

2nd group: McConnell, Mathurin, Nesmith, Smith or Walker, and Jackson.

For Portland, what are they prioritizing in their rebuild? Young talent and draft picks. It may not get any better than a scenario that gives them two 1st round picks and the RFA rights to Obi Toppin. The Blazers are in desperate need of Forwards to grow with their young guard rotati…

The Hawks need to be sellers at the deadline in order to actually build a future around Trae Young. The Pacers are buyers, looking for that future piece to fit in with a core of Haliburton, Siakam, and Turner, which they can’t find in free agency or the draft.

For the Hawks… there aren’t going to be great deals out there for Bogdan Bogdanovic. So what are the priorities for Atlanta? Clear his salary, gain a young talent, and possibly draft capital. This trade offers a bit of each. They not only clear his salary for future years and gain a handful of 2nd round picks, but they also gain the restricted free agency rights of Obi Toppin. Atlanta is heading into next season with only two wings under contract in Hunter and Johnson. They can sit back, let the market set the price for Toppin and decide if they want to pay it or not to give themselves their third forward. If they don’t want to pay, then don’t. Let him walk and keep the salary space. The point is, they open up their own options….

For the Pacers… they land their 3 and D wing that is sorely missing from their roster. Grant gives them a two-way wing who can score 20+ points and elevate their defense. The future draft and free agent options can’t top this so the Pacers move now on a guy they can keep long term.

For the Blazers… they shouldn’t keep Grant on their payroll and he should be asking for a trade away from a rebuild. In this case, they’re able to land two first round picks, clear cap space, and the RFA rights to Obi Toppin. It doesn’t get any better than that in trading Grant away for their building process around a very young core.

For the Knicks… the playoff push is on and Cleveland isn’t picking up the phone to deal Mitchell — yet. The price of a late first to acquire a 40% 3-point shooter along with clearing the Fournier contract is a move worth making this year to help them try to get into a deeper playoff run….

For the Knicks, this is the obvious use of their draft capital for an all star player to make them contenders. Exactly what the franchise needs now as they bring in a star who desperately wants to be a Knick.

For the Cavs, the timeline of their core didn’t match up to Mitchell as they had hoped, so it’s time to cash in and build for the future. Rather than just get picks, they can take advantage of Portland’s situation and land a long-term forward in Grant, who would fit nicely in a core of Garland-Grant-Mobley-Allen. Add three future first round picks to their haul, and they’re in a healthy place to build.

For the Blazers, they’re likely looking for the best deal possible for Grant, and it won’t get much better than multiple first round picks if they facilitate this deal. They’re able to shed future salary, retain their developing players, and add to their first round picks, walking into the 2024 draft with three….

There’s no secret as to what’s holding the the Pacers back from being a top five team in the East… the Forward position.

Jerami Grant checks a lot of boxes that Kevin Pritchard is likely looking for. A wing who can score and raises the team’s defense - check. On the right side of 30 - check. Locked up for years ahead on his contract - check.

The reasons for Indy to do this are obvious. The upcoming draft doesn’t look strong and the free agent market also looks rough for attracting a 20 ppg wing to a small market. They’re also not losing any player they’re invested in for the future. Neither Hield or Toppin look likely to be extended.

The reasons for Portland to do this are simple. Gain draft assets and clear future salary. There aren’t many teams that will be able or can trade for Grant with the size of his contract. Gaining a first round pick and taking on a couple role guys on expiring contracts may be as good as it gets. I could see one or two more second round picks added on if …

Austin Reaves is a fun player for the Lakers, but if they want the best fit for their lineup, an upgrade to Buddy Hield at the SG position would make a big difference.

The best lineup the Lakers could put together would be AD, Christian Wood, LeBron, Hield, and D’Angelo Russell. Exactly the role guys LeBron needs around him with Buddy’s 40% shot from 3. The price may be more than Lakers fans want to see them pay, but it could be a tipping point factor to make their team a better contender. Reaves and a 1st, plus a rookie who’s been injured and hasn’t seen the floor yet to make salaries work.

The Pacers have no desire for Reaves, they already have too many guards on the roster. They will however make a trade work if it means getting a 1st round pick, so a third team is needed. They’ll let Harris ride the bench for half a season to gain that ‘29 1st.

Detroit sees an opportunity to gain Reaves on a long term contract at a decent price in exchange for a player with a similar role, and …

We could soon be looking at three players who want out of their current situations and a best case scenario trade for each.

The biggest stretch here is the potential of Paul George wanting out from the Clippers if the season once again disappoints and they know they can’t compete. Kawhi’s knees continue to show they can’t hold up for a full season and Westbrook is Westbrook, so PG reaches the conclusion that he wants to be able to compete. He was never in a better situation than his time in Indy and the roster is a star wing player away from being in a potential competitor status. If PG were to request a trade anywhere, Indy could be on his short list for the sake of opportunity and familiarity.

Harden gets his wish to play in LA with his buddy, Westbrook. Winning isn’t a top goal for the beard anymore. He’d rather enjoy life during the last few years of his career. The Clippers can justify this to their fan base as flipping a star for a star.

Buddy Hield wants out so he can play a …

Let’s say Portland doesn’t budge on Dame. Well, there’s another star available on the market and Embiid may pressure Philly to get something done. Herro’s not a bad building block towards adding more in Philadelphia with free agency next year….

There won’t be many teams that can contend for Dame’s contract, but there seems to be interest each way with Miami. Is this enough for Portland?…

Three moves that could set the Pacers up for a franchise-altering draft.

Acquire Obi Toppin from the Knicks and take advantage of that fractured relationship. The best deal New York is going to see is a late first, so pay that price for your starting Power Forward for a year while your rookie develops on the second unit. Standard practice for the Pacers via Mathurin and PG.

The Lakers need cheap labor to fill out the back end of their roster and they need shooting wings. LA may be willing to bet on a bounce back year for Duarte and they acquire 29 and 32 for two cheap young players on the end of their bench. Pacers are able to move up 12 spots. Lakers gain Duarte and 32 just for moving back.

Buddy heads home to Dallas. This move for the Mavericks accomplishes two things… spreads the floor for Luka with Hield’s sharpshooting and they clear the awful Bertans contract. Pacers then gain the 10th pick.

Pacers walk into the draft with picks 7, 10, and 17. I’d personally love to see that …

There’s buzz around this trade idea online, but I wanted to change it to a way I see it working.

https://8points9seconds.com/2023/06/18/nba-analyst-says-raptors-pacers-mavericks-looking-trades/

In this, the Pacers give up a bit more to solidify Toronto’s involvement. Both Jalen Smith and Chris Duarte are not looking like they’ll be in the team’s future plans. They can be two young assets to help get the deal across the finish line. I think a future protected first from Dallas is also needed to sweeten the deal for Toronto. I don’t see Bertans as a strong selling point as suggested in the online trade. Toronto also clears salary space in this deal.

For the Pacers, it’s pretty simple. They get OG as the new forward they’ve been craving to plug into this lineup. Losing Buddy hurts, but the 10th pick could help make up for his incredible 3-point shooting if they drafted someone like Gradey Dick. Creates a starting five of Turner, OG, Dick, Mathurin, and Haliburton. That fits together re…