5 Frontcourt Players Pacers Should Target Ahead of Trade Deadline

The Indiana Pacers need some help down low if they want to make a push in the Eastern Conference.

Nov 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) work for the rebound in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers were in the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago. They looked like a young team that was on the rise in the NBA. So far, the 2024-25 season hasn't started out the way they were envisioning, though. They are not a top-four team in the East like they thought they would be.

Part of that is because of a lack of depth in the frontcourt. The Pacers simply don't have enough big bodies. They addressed that by trading for Thomas Bryant, but that move alone isn't going to be enough to turn the season around and make them true contenders. Indiana needs more help.

There are five players who can help them in the frontcourt be a much more dangerous team.

1. Larry Nance Jr.

One of the biggest issues with this current Pacers team is rebounding. They don't have many guys who can go up and get tough rebounds. Larry Nance Jr., with high-jumping ability, would give them that help off the bench. He has shown the ability to be a good rebounder in the past.

2. Keldon Johnson

Keldon Johnson is a wing who would be able to provide a scoring punch off the bench to go along with solid rebounding ability. With Aaron Nesmith still weeks away from returning, they could use a player who has length on the wing to disrupt opposing offenses.

3. Issac Okoro

Even though the Cleveland Cavaliers are the top team in the East at the moment, they don't seem sold on Okoro's ability to be with the organization in the long term. His outside shooting continues to be an issue. The Pacers would just need him to play defense and that's something he excels at.

4. Jonas Valančiūnas

The Indiana Pacers don't have a lot of bruising guys on the roster. Valančiūnas would certainly help that. He's currently a bench player for the Wizards, who are one of the worst teams in the league. He would relish an opportunity to play for someone who has a chance to make the playoffs.

5. Zac Collins

Zac Collins has fallen from a starter on the Spurs to a bench player who hardly plays over 15 minutes a game. Adding him to the Pacers would give them an option at center who can shoot and gobble up rebounds. Both are things Indiana needs coming off the bench.

If the Pacers decide to make any moves, it likely wouldn't be until the trade deadline. They want to get healthy and see what they have first.

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