Pacers Given Strong Odds to Land Former NBA MVP in Blockbuster Trade

Matt Levine | 7 Hours Ago

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers have started the year very slowly, holding a record of 6-9. Indiana hasn't been able to find the magic that helped propel them to the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago and it's shown on the court.

They haven't shown any sign of consistency on either end of the floor and it's been a frustrating start to the season. Indiana will likely gauge the trade market to see if they can bring in some extra help as they try to right the ship.

One way that the Pacers could turn things around would be to land more star power. It won't be easy but the Pacers do have the pieces on their roster to execute a massive trade.

Despite the issues that they have seen this season, the Pacers are being listed as the favorites to land a former NBA MVP if he is traded. According to Bovada Sportsbook, Indiana is the favorite to land Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid if he is moved.

They currently hold odds of +200. The next highest odds around the league is the Dallas Mavericks at +450, giving the Pacers a nice lead in terms of the oddsmakers.

Landing Embiid certainly would be a massive addition for Indiana as he could solidify their frontcourt for years. The team would likely pair him with star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, giving them a strong one-two punch.

Philadelphia has had quite the rough start to the season, holding a record of 2-12. Even though the 76ers have a star-studded roster, they have seen injuries and inconsistent play take hold of the team.

This has led to speculation about what the 76ers could do to change things up. This includes Philadelphia holding a team meeting this early into the year, with Embiid being called out by one of his teammates.

It might be unlikely that Philadelphia would end up trading Embiid, the Pacers could be an interesting destination. They would have pieces that the 76ers could covet, including both younger players and draft picks.

However, the 76ers would be fully throwing in the white flag if an Embiid deal was made. In all likelihood, no trade would be made during the season so Indiana could look to get something done over the offseason.

At this time, this is all speculation but it's interesting that Indiana has been given such high odds if a trade did ever take place.

More Pacers: Pacers' Myles Turner Lands with West Contender in Proposed Trade