-
-
by
Sheikh U.
Against all odds, the Indiana Pacers made the Conference Finals for the first time in a decade. Many will blame it on the injuries of other teams, but in the end, none of that matters. The Indiana Pacers beat all of those veteran teams with little to no playoff experience for majority of their roster.
Now that they’re out of the playoffs, the Indiana Pacers could go ahead and target one of their biggest flaws: defense. They were one of the worst defensive teams in the playoffs and it showed very glaringly at times. Here are some trades that could help fix some of the defensive woes that were exposed in the playoffs.
Jarred Vanderbilt
Indiana Pacers get: Jarred Vanderbilt
Los Angeles Lakers get: Obi Toppin (S & T), 2024 2nd (36th pick), 2024 2nd (50th pick)
Getting another wing defender is going to be crucial for the Indiana Pacers this summer. They’ve got some solid defenders that are under 6’5, but no one that could put up a fight against a Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum.
Enter in Jarred Vanderbilt who’s shown the ability to be an above average defender from the wing position. He’s not the greatest shooting threat, but that doesn’t matter when you play on one of the greatest offenses in the league.
Herb Jones
Indiana Pacers get: Herb Jones
New Orleans Pelicans get: Andrew Nembhard, 2024 2nd (36th pick)
Another wing defender for the Pacers to target, arguably the best in the league in Herb Jones. His ability to disrupt plays consistently and make a noticeable impact is why the Pacers should target him.
Trading away Nembhard isn’t going to be an easy move, but getting an elite defender at the wing position on a great contract? You can’t beat that. Herb Jones would come in and immediately be the Pacers best defender and starting small forward from now on.
Nick Richards
Indiana Pacers get: Nick Richards
Charlotte Hornets get: Kendall Brown, 2024 2nd (36th pick)
The Pacers lack a true rebounding center and it showed to cause issues for them at times in the playoffs. Getting Nick Richards as a backup center who can come in and bring some presence in the paint whenever Myles Turner isn’t on the court would be another great get.
Richards averaged 8 rebounds a game last season as a starting center for most of the year. When given 30+ minutes, he averaged 10+ reobunds as game so he’s definitely more than capable of being a solid rebounder the Pacers could utilize.
![](https://sidelinecue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sidelinelogo1.jpg)
Must See
-
NFL
/ 6 days ago2024 NFL Breakout Star Candidates from Skill Positions
The NFL preseason is about to be upon is in a few weeks and...
By Sheikh U. -
NBA
/ 1 week agoMost Underrated Basketball Teams in the Olympics
Having spoken about the 2024 USA Men’s Basketball Team, it would be appropriate now...
By Sebastian C. -
NBA
/ 1 week agoWill Team USA be Dominant in the Olympics?
With the 2024 Paris Olympic Games starting in less than 10 days, we cannot...
By Sebastian C. -
NBA
/ 1 week ago2024 Free Agency Winners and Losers
We’re over two weeks into the 2024-25 NBA free agency period, and while there...
-
NBA
/ 2 weeks agoThree Important Things I learned from NBA Free Agency
The NBA Free Agency period always has a way of keeping us on our...
-
NBA
/ 3 weeks agoTop 5 Big Threes After 2024 NBA Free Agency
For a while now, the NBA has been all about big threes that are...
By Sheikh U. -
NBA
/ 4 weeks agoFive Things The 2023/24 Boston Celtics Taught Us
The 2023/24 NBA season is officially complete, and while we have already turned the...
-
NBA
/ 4 weeks agoBOLD Predictions For 2024 NBA Free Agency
Free agency starts in less than 24 hours and we could see some massive...
By Sheikh U. -
Joey's Draft Stuff
/ 4 weeks agoTop 5 Winners of the 2024 NBA Draft
The NBA draft is in the books and although it is not known as...
By Joey Barrett -
NFL
/ 4 weeks agoTop 10 Wide Receivers for the 2024 NFL Season
Arguably the most entertaining position in football, the wide receiver position is the most...
By Jacob Nguyen