Pacers Trade Idea Sees Them Land $160M Star Wing

This Pacers trade would give the Pacers a wing that could help them get over the hump.

Oct 30, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) defends against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the second quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers have a lot of talent on the roster. In fact, it's mostly the same team that the Pacers had a year ago when they made the Eastern Conference Finals. Kevin Pritchard made the decision to re-sign a lot of guys to bring the core of the team back for this season.

Indiana has been playing better as of late. They have won four out of their last five games. Part of the reason for this is that the Pacers are finally starting to get healthy. They have gotten Andrew Nembhard back in the starting lineup and just got Ben Sheppard back on Thursday night.

Health has been an issue for the Pacers so far this season, but there is one issue that plagued them even last year. They don't have a truly solid wing. Aaron Nesmith is their starting wing and he had a career year in 2023-24. It's hard to replicate something like that again.

If Indiana can get a wing who is solid on defense and more of a threat to score, they would be a much more formidable team. One way to do that is to make a trade. The Pacers are hard to make a trade with because they are in the second apron, but there is one trade that could work.

Pacers receive: Jerami Grant

Portland Trail Blazers receive: Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith, and Jarace Walker

This trade would significantly weaken Indiana's bench. Toppin has been fantastic so far this season on the offensive side of the court.

His rebounding has also picked up in recent games. Even so, he's not a great defender. He gets blown by fairly easily on drives to the hoop.

Walker's only value is on the defensive end. His offense has been so bad that the Pacers can't keep him on the court. Other teams don't guard him. They just let him stand by the three-point line. He hasn't quite developed the way that the Pacers were hoping he would at this point.

Nesmith is the best player the Pacers would get rid of, but it might be worth it to get a scorer like Grant. He can score at all three levels and has length on the perimeter, something Indiana desperately needs. This could be a win-win trade for both teams.

The Pacers get a good wing top help the starting lineup, while the Blazers get younger.

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