Pacers at the 2024 trade deadline: Evaluating their options in a slow-moving climate
The Pacers made a splash three weeks ago in acquiring Pascal Siakam. If they get involved before Thursday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline, it would be on the fringes — and with their future cap in mind.
The NBA’s annual trade deadline is less than 24 hours away. Teams have until 3 p.m. ET on Thursday to agree to deals and call it into the league. They have to be on the phone and in the queue before that hard deadline hits.
This week is not an easy one for anyone involved in the league, especially the players.
Because they’re vulnerable.
And it’s something out of their control.
For years, Myles Turner was constantly reading and hearing his name in the rumor mill. There was no substance to it most of the time, but he’s acknowledged how that wears on you and forces a player to be mentally tough in these moments. Trust the work and your play on the court, and trust your agent to be handling it for you.
A lot of maturity came from Turner’s experience with that.
Players see the reports because they’re unavoidable. Social media, texts from friends, conversations with family and check-ins with their agent.
Most try to keep up on it because it’s their team and their livelihood at stake. So they call their agent, talk amongst each other and send messages to intermediaries who have a handle on the market.
Watch the teams who are talked about the most and prime for roster transactions. They don’t often perform up to standard this week. We all remember Pacers fans chanting “LeBron’s gonna trade you!” in 2019 before the deadline.
“I look forward to it getting here so it can be done,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said on Tuesday.
“A lot of times, great things can happen at the trade deadline. Look, I’ve been around so long — I understand where younger players can be phased. They throw on social media and see their names and stuff like that. The veteran guys that have been around, it doesn’t bother them. It’s not a big deal. Just part of the business. And if your name is in trade rumors, it means you have value and people want you. What’s wrong with that? That’s good.”
Below is a look at the market, the Pacers’ situation, Buddy Hield’s expiring contract, and why everything must have the future in mind: