NBA Trade Rumors: Indiana Pacers open to dealing former Most Improved Player winner in the offseason
More changes could be on the way for the Indiana Pacers this summer as they are open to trading point guard Malcolm Brogdon.
After dealing away All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis and Caris LeVert at the trade deadline, it was clear the Pacers were gearing up for a youth movement. Due to signing a contract extension last offseason, they were unable to move on from Brogdon.
The 29-year-old guard has appeared in 36 games for the Indiana Pacers this season. He is posting averages of 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists.
Malcolm Brogdon's 26 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST lift the @Pacers to their 4th straight win! #IndianaStyle https://t.co/mO96oKiMHb
In a recent episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto reported on the Indiana Pacers being open to the idea of trading away Brogdon after this season:
"Several executives believe Indiana will certainly be open to trading him this offseason as the Pacers look to build around their young backcourt core of Tyrese Haliburton and Chris Duarte."
Due to his recent extension, whatever team acquires Brogdon will have him for the foreseeable future. The former Most Improved Player winner is under contract through the 2024-25 season at a price tag of around $22 million.
As a fringe All-Star level player, the Pacers should net a decent return on a player like Brogdon. One thing that could hurt a potential deal is his injury history. Over the past four years, Brogdon has only played in, at least, 60 games once. This questionable availability could deter suitors from parting with valuable assets.
Indiana Pacers are looking toward the future
Moving forward, the Pacers are playing the long game, and rightfully so. Currently sitting in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, their primary goal is to develop the young talent on the roster.
One thing Indiana has going for them is that they may have found the next pillar of the franchise. Tyrese Haliburton continues to show great promise in his second season as a pro. Since coming over in the Sabonis trade, he is averaging 16.6 points, 9.8 assists, and 1.9 steals.
Tyrese Haliburton finds the open lane for the SLAM 💥
https://t.co/JJpUV4cKAC
Another promising young talent is rookie Chris Duarte. The 24-year-old has started in 39 games this season, and is averaging 13.1 points while shooting 36.9% from beyond the arc. Between him and Haliburton, the Pacers may have already found their backcourt of the future.
Depending on how things unfold in the NBA draft, Indiana could walk away with another young guard. Between not fitting the team's timeline and avoiding a log jam at the guard spot, a Brogdon trade seems certain somewhere down the line.