The Indiana Pacers finally found a trade for Buddy Hield following a trade request in September last year when negotiations on a new contract stalled. As per The Athletic's Shams Charania, Hield is headed to the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Pacers acquired players and picks as part of the deal.
Initially, the Pacers acquired Marcus Morris Sr., Furkan Korkmaz and three second-round picks from Philadelphia for Hield. The Pacers waived Korkmaz after acquiring him.
The Pacers then sent Morris, a future second-round pick and cash to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Doug McDermott, who played for the team from 2018 to 2021. Morris will be bought out by the Spurs.
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The Pacers also made a deal with the Golden State Warriors, sending the least favorable of the three second-round picks in exchange for Cory Joseph, a second-round pick and $5.8 million in cash. They swiftly waived Joseph after finalizing the trade.
Despite bidding farewell to Hield, one of the league's most prolific 3-point shooters, in the exchange, the Pacers are gaining a shooter and a veteran in McDermott.
The Indiana Pacers have bolstered their core by adding Pascal Siakam earlier this season, joining the lineup featuring Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner.
With the trade deadline concluded, here's the updated depth chart for the Indiana Pacers for the 2023-24 season:
Point Guard: Tyrese Haliburton, TJ McConnell and Isaiah Wong
Shooting Guard: Andrew Nembhard, Benedict Mathurin and Ben Sheppard
Small Forward: Doug McDermott and Aaron Nesmith
Power Forward: Pascal Siakam, Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker
Center: Myles Turner, Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson and Oscar Tshiebwe
Assessing Indiana Pacers' new roster
Heading into the trade deadline, the defense has been the Indiana Pacers' most glaring weakness. Despite boasting the best offensive rating at 120.9, they rank among the bottom five in defensive rating at 119.3.
It's noteworthy that the Pacers didn't part ways with any frontcourt players despite having an abundance of power forwards and centers on their roster.
Adding Doug McDermott likely won't move the needle on their defense, but he should give them floor spacing and veteran leadership.
Pascal Siakam has only been with the team for 11 games, and they are still in the process of establishing a new identity with him as a core player. Meanwhile, Myles Turner continues to be a quality starter and defensive anchor for the team.
With a big three consisting of Haliburton, Siakam, and Turner, the Pacers now focus on refining the remainder of their roster.
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