Indiana Pacers

Having already made one move before Thursdsy's NBA trade deadline, the Indiana Pacers are reportedly looking to make another splash this week. 

Per ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Pacers are "believed to be" one of the teams interested in Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum. 

The Pacers traded Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round draft pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ricky Rubio and three draft picks, including a 2022 lottery-protected first-rounder. 

Windhorst noted Rubio could be used in a trade by the Pacers before Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline. 

Rubio is out for the season after he tore his ACL during a Dec. 28 game against the New Orleans Pelicans. He is making $17.8 million in 2021-22 and will be eligible for free agency this offseason.

Indiana could be one of the most active sellers before the trade deadline. B/R's Jake Fischer reported the team is still discussing deals involving Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis after trading LeVert. 

Fischer noted the Pacers want "at least two first-round picks for Myles Turner and an even greater package for Domantas Sabonis."

The Blazers made a deal of their own Friday when they sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers for Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a 2025 second-round draft pick. 

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted that trade could set up the Blazers to make more moves before Thursday as they plan to "reshape the roster around All-NBA guard Damian Lillard."

According to Fischer, McCollum is regarded as the biggest name that NBA personnel expect to be traded this week. 

McCollum is in the first season of a three-year, $100 million contract he signed in July 2019. The 30-year-old is averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game in 36 starts this season. 

The Pacers have the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference (19-36), ahead of only the Detroit Pistons (12-41) and Orlando Magic (12-43). The Blazers hold the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference with a 21-33 record.     

The Indiana Pacers shipped Caris LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, but it looks like they're not done dealing as Thursday's trade deadline approaches.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Ricky Rubio, whom the Pacers acquired in the trade, could be an asset for them to flip as they continue to rebuild their roster.

"The Ricky Rubio expiring contract that they got in the Caris LeVert trade, about $18 million, that's showing itself to have value around the league," Wojnarowski said on Monday's episode of NBA Today.

Wojnarowski further explained that some teams around the league are already looking ahead to free agency this summer, which creates interest in expiring contracts like that of Rubio or Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles.

"I'm told plenty of teams, if they can get the expiring contract of Rubio, perhaps the expiring contract of a Joe Ingles, both of whom who are out for the rest of the season, those are teams who are trying to gather up cap space for the summer for free agency," Wojnarowski stated. "That's where the value of those contracts are."

He continued, "So the Pacers are probably gonna be able to flip that Rubio contract and get back some more assets as they kind of reshape this roster as they start out this Rick Carlisle era in Indiana."

The Pacers also acquired a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick and two second-round picks in the deal with the Cavaliers. At 19-36, Indiana is going nowhere fast this season with a roster that has been decimated by injuries throughout the year.

Veteran center Myles Turner is out with a stress reaction in his foot, and starting point guard Malcolm Brogdon hasn't played since Jan. 19 because of an Achilles injury. Swingman T.J. Warren, the team's leading scorer in 2019-20, has yet to see the floor this year because of foot surgery from over a year ago.

The Pacers will be looking to end a three-game losing streak when they travel to face the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.

Indiana Pacers star Domantas Sabonis is one of the biggest names reportedly on the market leading up to this year's Feb. 10 trade deadline, and one Eastern Conference team hoping to make a push for the playoffs is reportedly interested in the veteran. 

The Washington Wizards "would love" to trade for Sabonis, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today. However, Wojnarowski added the Wizards "may not have the assets" to make a deal right now. 

The news comes after Wojnarowski reported Sunday that Sabonis and Myles Turner are continuing to be discussed in trade talks following a deal that sent Caris LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Sabonis, who is in his fifth season with the Pacers, is averaging 18.9 points, 12.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 58.0 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from deep.  

According to Wizards insider Quinton Mayo, the Wizards want to pair Sabonis with All-Star guard Bradley Beal. The 2016 11th overall pick has reportedly "received a ringing endorsement" from Beal. 

Mayo writes:

Expect Washington to approach the trade deadline aggressively with their sights set on Indiana Pacers star big man, Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis has received a ringing endorsement from Beal, and others, within the Wizards organization due to his skill set, possible fit within head coach Wes Unseld Jr.’s system, contract flexibility, and age, sources tell me." 

While Sabonis would help the Wizards improve their 22nd-ranked offense, he is not a defensive-minded player by any means, and Washington needs just as much help on defense, as it also has the 22nd-ranked defense. 

However, the Wizards' interest in adding a player like Sabonis should come as no surprise. Beal, who has a player option for the 2022-23 season, reportedly prefers to remain in Washington, and the franchise needs to be thinking about building around him for the future. 

Sabonis also comes with length on his contract. He is under contract through the 2023-24 campaign after signing a four-year, $77 million extension ahead of the 2020-21 season. If the Wizards plan to pair him with Beal, they'll also need an idea of who else to add in the future. 

The Wizards have also been linked to Jerami Grant, as Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reported in January that they are a favorite to land the Detriot Pistons forward. 

Washington is 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 24-28 record and is hoping to make the playoffs for the second straight year. Indiana, meanwhile, is 13th in the East with a 19-36 record and must decide whether it plans to enter a rebuild. 

Caris LeVert put on a show while dropping 42 points during Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls.

It turns out that's reportedly his final game for the Indiana Pacers.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Pacers are trading LeVert and the 2022 second-round pick they had from the Miami Heat to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected 2022 first-round draft pick, a 2022 second-round draft pick via the Houston Rockets and a 2027 second-round draft pick via the Utah Jazz.

According to Spotrac, the Cavaliers now have $134.4 million in total cap allocations, while the Pacers check in at $136.7 million in total cap allocations.

Here is a look at Cleveland's overall roster and a projected starting lineup:

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Roster

Jarrett Allen, C

Caris LeVert, G

Ed Davis, C/PF

Darius Garland, G

Brandon Goodwin, G

Kevin Love, F/C

Lauri Markkanen, F/C

Evan Mobley, C

RJ Nembhard Jr., G

Isaac Okoro, F/G

Cedi Osman, F

Kevin Pangos, G

Rajon Rondo, G

Collin Sexton, G

Lamar Stevens, F

Dean Wade, F/C

Dylan Windler, G/F

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Projected Starters

PG: Darius Garland

SG: Caris LeVert

F: Isaac Okoro

F: Evan Mobley

C: Jarrett Allen

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Here is a look at the Pacers' overall roster and a projected starting lineup when Domantas Sabonis, Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner are healthy and return:

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Roster

Goga Bitadze, C/F

Ricky Rubio, G

Oshae Brissett, F/G

Malcolm Brogdon, G

Torrey Craig, F

Chris Duarte, G

Justin Holiday, F/G

Isaiah Jackson, F

Jeremy Lamb, G/F

T.J. McConnell, G

Reggie Perry, F/C

Domantas Sabonis, F/C

Lance Stephenson, F

Keifer Sykes, G

Terry Taylor, F

Myles Turner, C/F

T.J. Warren, F

Duane Washington Jr., G

---

Projected Starters

PG: Malcolm Brogdon

SG: Chris Duarte

SF: Justin Holiday

PF: Domantas Sabonis

C: Myles Turner

---

While there are plenty of moving parts in this trade, LeVert is the main piece.

This further signals that the Cavaliers are serious about contending in the Eastern Conference as one of the biggest pleasant surprises in the league. They are 32-21, which is good enough for the No. 4 seed in the standings and just 1.5 games behind the top-seeded Miami Heat.

They are also playing without the injured Collin Sexton, making their play all the more impressive as they battle for positioning in a loaded and tight East.

Sexton's injury makes the acquisition of LeVert all the more important, as he represents another scorer who can play off the ball alongside Garland and take advantage of the spacing created by the litany of bigs Cleveland can put on the court at one time between Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Kevin Love and Lauri Markkanen.

Expecting him to drop 40-plus points like he did in Friday's game is likely asking too much, but the Michigan product is averaging 18.7 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from three-point range.

He can take the scoring pressure off Garland's shoulders on the perimeter, work in pick-and-rolls with the bigs as someone who can handle and distribute as needed, and take over as a primary scorer on nights he is dialed in offensively.

This makes the Cavaliers all the more dangerous for presumed contenders such as the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.

As for the Pacers, this is shaping up to be a lost season at 19-35.

The draft capital will help accelerate a rebuild, and they are certainly a team to keep an eye on for more potential trades as Thursday's deadline approaches.

The surprising Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly have their eye on Indiana Pacers shooting guard Caris LeVert ahead of the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline.

According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the Cavs are "trying to acquire" LeVert, who will be in Cleveland for Sunday's game between the Cavaliers and Pacers.

Cleveland figures to be a buyer at the deadline, as it has exceeded expectations with a 32-21 record, which is good for third in the Eastern Conference entering play Saturday.

The 27-year-old LeVert is in the midst of his first full season with the Pacers, and he has been highly productive.

In 39 games, LeVert is averaging 18.7 points, 4.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 three-pointers made per contest while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from beyond the arc.

The one knock on LeVert has been durability, as he has never played in more than 71 games in a single season and has not featured in more than 47 games in a season since that high-water mark.

Those games came last season, which LeVert split between the Brooklyn Nets and Pacers. A mass was found on his kidney as part of a physical examination after he was dealt to Indiana as part of a four-team trade, and while it caused him to miss time, the mass was removed and he eventually returned at full strength.

On a per-game basis, the 2020-21 season was the best of LeVert's career, as he averaged career highs across the board with 20.2 points, 5.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 three-pointers made and 1.4 steals.

LeVert is signed through the 2022-23 season, meaning he wouldn't be a rental, which would likely make him even more appealing to a Cavs team on the rise.

While Cleveland is near the top of the East, Indiana has struggled mightily this season, as it is 13th in the conference at 19-35.

Given the Pacers' issues, Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz of The Athletic reported in December that they were "moving toward a rebuild" and "receptive" to trade offers for several players, including LeVert.

The Cavaliers boast a highly talented core anchored by first-time All-Star guard Darius Garland, an All-Star snub in center Jarrett Allen and a Rookie of the Year candidate in center Evan Mobley.

One obvious area of need, however, is backcourt depth since Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio are both out for the season due to injury.

LeVert would help immensely in that regard, and he would go from a bottom-dwelling team to a potential championship contender in the process.

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner remains a player to watch as Thursday's NBA trade deadline approaches.

Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein updated some information on the chances of Turner heading elsewhere before then.

"When I checked in Friday morning on the prospect of Turner being moved between now and the deadline while he’s still recovering from a foot injury, I was told that it remains a coinflip at this stage," Stein wrote (h/t HoopsHype).

The 6'11" big man, who is averaging 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, has been out since Jan. 14 with a stress reaction in his left foot.

The 19-34 Pacers appear to be playing out the string of a lost 2021-22 season. They are currently seven games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the final spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

Therefore, everything appears to be on the table for Indiana as the team looks ahead to the future.

Domantas Sabonis, a two-time All-Star, has been discussed in trade talks. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report wrote that the Washington Wizards are looking at the big man as a trade target. Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee reported on Jan. 19 that the Sacramento Kings were willing to include De'Aaron Fox in a potential package for Sabonis.

Turner is also reportedly in play as it appears the Pacers may be headed for a total blowup. Fischer said on the Chad Ford's NBA Big Board podcast (h/t NBC Sports Edge) that he hears Turner could return in early March, so the ex-Texas star's hypothetical new team would have him for the final month-and-a-half of the season.

The center is an excellent defensive player and two-time blocks champion with three-point range (34.9 percent for his career). His 2.8 blocks per game leads the league this season.

Turner isn't a dominant offensive or rebounding presence, averaging 12.7 points and 6.7 boards per game over his seven seasons, but he's a solid big man who would immediately help any playoff contender.

We'll soon find out whether Turner stays with Indiana or heads elsewhere with the deadline just six days away.

Indiana Pacers veteran guard Lance Stephenson reportedly isn't going anywhere.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that Indiana has signed Stephenson for the remainder of the season. He had signed four consecutive 10-day contracts and averaged 9.4 points and 4.2 assists in 17 games for the Pacers.

Stephenson scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting and added six assists and three rebounds in Indiana's 119-118 loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

Stephenson was selected 13th overall in the 2021 G League Draft by the Grand Rapids Gold. After averaging 19.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 12 games, he signed a 10-day contract with the Atlanta Hawks in December.

The Hawks allowed Stephenson's contract to expire, and he subsequently signed with the Pacers on New Year's Day.

This is Stephenson's third run in Indiana. He was drafted by the Pacers in the second round of the 2010 draft and became one of the team's most popular players because of his energy and entertaining antics.

Stephenson left Indiana in free agency in 2014 to sign with the Charlotte Hornets. He also had stints with the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves before returning to the Pacers in 2017.

Indiana declined its team option on Stephenson in 2018, and he landed with the Los Angeles Lakers. He spent the 2019-20 season in the Chinese Basketball Association.

The Pacers fell to 19-34 with Wednesday's loss. They will be back in action on Friday against the Chicago Bulls.

The Indiana Pacers have reportedly put a premium price on Caris LeVert ahead of the NBA trade deadline. 

NBA reporter Marc Stein reported in his Substack newsletter the Pacers want at least two first-round draft picks if they are going to trade the 27-year-old guard. 

The Pacers could be one of the most active sellers leading up to the Feb. 10 trade deadline. Their 17-32 record is the third-worst in the Eastern Conference, ahead of only the Detroit Pistons (11-36) and Orlando Magic (9-40). 

Two of the most-talked about trade candidates for the Pacers are Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, though Turner's foot injury has complicated his value. 

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Turner is expected to be out past the trade deadline. 

B/R's Jake Fischer reported this week that the Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers had "strong momentum" in talks centered around Turner, but there is "dwindling confidence from league personnel about Turner's injury timeline and his ability to help a potential new team's playoff push this season."

Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, one league executive said Indiana would likely only trade Sabonis for a package similar to what the Orlando Magic got for Nikola Vucevic last year. 

Orlando received Wendell Carter Jr., Otto Porter Jr. and two first-round picks from the Chicago Bulls for Vucevic and Al-Farouq Aminu.

LeVert could be an attractive trade chip because he is signed through the 2022-23 season. He is averaging 18.2 points, 4.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game in 34 starts this year.   

As the Ben Simmons trade talks continue, the Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly discussed potential deals with a number of teams.

Two of them include the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors, per The Athletic's Shams Charania and Sam Amick, who noted that "Indiana's Domantas Sabonis and Toronto's Pascal Siakam" have come up in talks but "organizationally they have felt that those players were not championship-altering, perfect fits on the roster" in Philadelphia.

Sabonis, 25, would make exactly zero sense for the Sixers in a trade unless he was rerouted to a different city in a multi-team deal. Like MVP candidate Joel Embiid, Sabonis plays the center position and doesn't offer much in the way of floor spacing, shooting 32.7 percent from three. 

While he's undoubtedly a good player (19.0 PPG, 11.9 RPG), he'd be a terrible fit next to Embiid, creating many of the same floor-spacing issues that Simmons has caused or Al Horford did in the past. 

In a multi-team deal, however, he may help the Sixers bring aboard a player who fits better. 

Siakam would be a questionable fit as well and would only make sense if the team also dealt Tobias Harris to make room at the 4. The 27-year-old is averaging 21.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, shooting 48.0 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from three. 

His ability to create his own shot would be an upgrade over Harris and every other current Sixer not named Embiid, but his career struggles from three (32.5 percent) could cause some floor-spacing issues in Philly. 

Granted, Siakam would be a far better fit than Sabonis and arguably a better one than Simmons, though the latter's playmaking has always made the Sixers a dangerous transition team. 

But unless the Sixers were also able to unload Harris at the Feb. 10 trade deadline—a tricky proposition given that he's due around $76 million over the next two seasons, a number far exceeding his production—the Siakam fit would be wonky at best.

Philly lacks high-end playmaking and a perimeter player capable of consistently creating his own shot in crunch time. Embiid has played to an incredibly high level thus far this season, carrying the offense, but come the postseason, defenses will shrink around him and force the other Sixers to carry a bigger offensive load. 

Finding a player who can consistently take advantage of those opportunities, namely from the guard position, makes the most sense in the quest to replace Simmons. Those players come at a premium, of course, and it may take the Sixers into the summer to potentially land one.