Pacers Rival Looking to Trade Star Center, Could Indiana Get Involved?

The Pacers clearly need some roster improvement to contend this season. Getting involved in this trade might help.

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The Indiana Pacers have had a slow start to the 2024-25 season. After making the Eastern Conference Finals last season, they have not played up to the level that they were expected to. They brought back most of their pieces from last year's team as well.

Getting Bennedict Mathurin back from his torn labrum injury was supposed to make this team even more dangerous. Instead, injuries have taken over this team. They are down two backup centers and their starting small forward. They just got back Andrew Nembhard four games ago after he missed a month.

Because of the injuries at the center position, the Pacers were forced to make a trade for a backup big. They traded a second-round pick to the Miami Heat for Thomas Bryant. Bryant is a decent player, but he isn't going to move the needle much for a team that wants to win now.

The Pacers could still make a move to further bolster their center depth, preferably one that helps them grab more rebounds. Indiana grabs the second-fewest rebounds in the country, gobbling up just under 40 rebounds a game. They need someone who can help get more for them.

It looks like the Atlanta Hawks could be a team that they target. According to the RealGM, the Hawks are looking to move starting center Clint Capela by the trade deadline. He is on an expiring contract and is unlikely to re-sign in Atlanta. The Pacers could make a move on him.

Capela is making $22.4 million in this final season of his deal. While he has started in Atlanta, he would be the perfect center to bring in as a backup for the Pacers. He could be the guy to vacuum up rebounds while the bench unit flies around.

The Pacers could send Jarace Walker, Obi Toppin, and one of their three 2025 second-round picks to Atlanta to make it work. While Toppin has been very solid on offense, his defense is abhorrent. Capela offers rim protection and would be a much better rebounder. He's also a great lob-catcher.

This move isn't likely, but it is one that would help the Pacers make a push. If the Pacers make their way up the standings before the trade deadline, they would be more inclined to make a win-now move like this. First, they need to move into the top five in the East.

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