Multi-Time NBA Champion Could Help Pacers Bolster Frontcourt in Trade

The Pacers could use this guy to help them bolster their frontcourt on the bench.

Dec 14, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) passes in front of Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney (5) in the second quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The 13-15 Indiana Pacers are starting to play some good basketball. After taking down the Suns in Phoenix, they have won four out of their last five games. They had seven players score in double-figures and they finally look like the team that everyone expected them to be.

Getting Ben Sheppard back for that game was huge. While he didn't show up a lot on the stat sheet, his hustle really impacted the game. Having Andrew Nembhard back has helped the team enormously, as well. Once they get Aaron Nesmith back, they'll really be in business.

Even with the Pacers starting to put it together, they can still use some help. The bench is the biggest place where Indiana needs some help, particularly in the frontcourt. Jarace Walker continues to struggle even as he gets regular rotation minutes. Obi Toppin has been great, though. Rick Carlisle might try to move him to small forward if the lineup allows him to.

In order to do that, the Pacers would need to get bigger off the bench. They also need someone who doesn't sacrifice the way they play with their speed. There's one player in particular who could help them do that. That would be Warriors backup Kevon Looney.

Looney is someone that Golden State is willing to move on from. He is now on the fringes of the rotation because Draymond Green keeps getting minutes as a center. Marc Stein reports that Looney has garnered interest from many teams around the league, and the Indiana Pacers should be one of them.

What makes Looney even more valuable is that he's an expiring contract. It's also a cheap contract at just $8 million. Indiana could easily make that work. They could even ship Walker out in exchange for Looney if they deem that Walker still can't make things work.

Looney gives defense and rebounding, something the Pacers need more of. He's played his whole career with Golden State, another team that likes to get up and down the court. He has no issues playing at a fast pace. He would provide more rim protection than Thomas Bryant does off the bench.

Right now, Indiana is finally playing some good basketball. If they keep playing like this with their current roster, they might not want to make a move until the trade deadline. They probably only have one move to make, so they need to make it count.

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