Trade Deadline Predictions

[Vermont Green]

It would be interesting to see what this does to Jalen Smith's minutes.  Toppin has started 28 games and playing 24'ish minutes.  Smith started 11 games and is playing more like 18 minutes.  So if Siakam is the starter, Toppin would be the primary back up?  Smith to deep bench?

It seems like Jalen Smith could be a target for the Celtics for that elusive back up PF role.  If Indy is giving up 3 firsts, we could give them back one and maybe a player like Stevens to give them back some depth at wing.

I wouldn't want to deal a #1 for Smith, who is a better backup C than PF.

He is only 23, hard to be sure what he is.  Do you think we would get someone better with pick 30 or 29 in say 2025 or whatever?  I am not sure how good Smith is or can be, I admit.  Seems more promising than a future pick though.

He is shooting 47% from 3 this year.  That may not hold up.  Stats can be deceiving.  Seems like we get a younger, taller Grant Williams on a much cheaper contract.  With Smith, you know at a minimum, he is a decent bench big who can play at the NBA level.  With a future pick, you could end up with a lot less than that (or you could get lucky).

[keevsnick]

It would be interesting to see what this does to Jalen Smith's minutes.  Toppin has started 28 games and playing 24'ish minutes.  Smith started 11 games and is playing more like 18 minutes.  So if Siakam is the starter, Toppin would be the primary back up?  Smith to deep bench?

It seems like Jalen Smith could be a target for the Celtics for that elusive back up PF role.  If Indy is giving up 3 firsts, we could give them back one and maybe a player like Stevens to give them back some depth at wing.

I wouldn't want to deal a #1 for Smith, who is a better backup C than PF.

He is only 23, hard to be sure what he is.  Do you think we would get someone better with pick 30 or 29 in say 2025 or whatever?  I am not sure how good Smith is or can be, I admit.  Seems more promising than a future pick though.

He is shooting 47% from 3 this year.  That may not hold up.  Stats can be deceiving.  Seems like we get a younger, taller Grant Williams on a much cheaper contract.  With Smith, you know at a minimum, he is a decent bench big who can play at the NBA level.  With a future pick, you could end up with a lot less than that (or you could get lucky).

My big issue with Jalen Smith is that I'm not sure he's good enough as a defender, you'd hope he'd have more impact as a rim protector than he does.

[Vermont Green]

On Tuesday, the Pacers’ latest outgoing framework included 25-year-old reserve shooter Jordan Nwora, league sources told Yahoo Sports, with the final salary needed to match Siakam’s $37.8 million number being either Obi Toppin or Jalen Smith. Two of the picks on the table from Indiana are the pair of 2024 first-round selections the Pacers have in their cupboard, sources said. Aaron Nesmith’s $5.6 million salary would also represent a match for Siakam’s figure, in addition to Brown and Nwora. – via Jake Fischer @ Yahoo! Sports

So the reported framework is Bruce Brown, Nwora, and one other player.  TOR wants Bennedict Mathurin, IND is offering Toppin or Smith or maybe Nesmith.  If IND is including 3 firsts, I wouldn't include Mathurin either.

In any case, it does not look like Smith is going to become available as a result of this.  He will probably end up in TOR.

I remain interested.  We can send them Mykhailiuk and Stevens (IND will need bodies after trading 3 for 1) and a pick, maybe a second, but probably a first would be needed.  This assumes that IND comes out of this with both Smith and Toppin after the trade.

[Celtics2021]

On Tuesday, the Pacers’ latest outgoing framework included 25-year-old reserve shooter Jordan Nwora, league sources told Yahoo Sports, with the final salary needed to match Siakam’s $37.8 million number being either Obi Toppin or Jalen Smith. Two of the picks on the table from Indiana are the pair of 2024 first-round selections the Pacers have in their cupboard, sources said. Aaron Nesmith’s $5.6 million salary would also represent a match for Siakam’s figure, in addition to Brown and Nwora. – via Jake Fischer @ Yahoo! Sports

So the reported framework is Bruce Brown, Nwora, and one other player.  TOR wants Bennedict Mathurin, IND is offering Toppin or Smith or maybe Nesmith.  If IND is including 3 firsts, I wouldn't include Mathurin either.

In any case, it does not look like Smith is going to become available as a result of this.  He will probably end up in TOR.

I remain interested.  We can send them Mykhailiuk and Stevens (IND will need bodies after trading 3 for 1) and a pick, maybe a second, but probably a first would be needed.  This assumes that IND comes out of this with both Smith and Toppin after the trade.

Smith might be the most overrated player on this board.  His defense is flat out awful.  He’s not long enough to play the interior and not close to agile enough to defend the perimeter.  He would not see the floor in a competitive game for the Celtics unless there were multiple injuries.  He’s shooting the 3 well this year, but it’s generally not advisable to imagine a sub-30% career 3-point shooter suddenly became elite in the offseason based on 62 attempts in a season.

The player to go after in that deal is Toppin, not Smith, if we’re looking for someone who would actually get minutes here.

[liam]

On Tuesday, the Pacers’ latest outgoing framework included 25-year-old reserve shooter Jordan Nwora, league sources told Yahoo Sports, with the final salary needed to match Siakam’s $37.8 million number being either Obi Toppin or Jalen Smith. Two of the picks on the table from Indiana are the pair of 2024 first-round selections the Pacers have in their cupboard, sources said. Aaron Nesmith’s $5.6 million salary would also represent a match for Siakam’s figure, in addition to Brown and Nwora. – via Jake Fischer @ Yahoo! Sports

So the reported framework is Bruce Brown, Nwora, and one other player.  TOR wants Bennedict Mathurin, IND is offering Toppin or Smith or maybe Nesmith.  If IND is including 3 firsts, I wouldn't include Mathurin either.

In any case, it does not look like Smith is going to become available as a result of this.  He will probably end up in TOR.

I remain interested.  We can send them Mykhailiuk and Stevens (IND will need bodies after trading 3 for 1) and a pick, maybe a second, but probably a first would be needed.  This assumes that IND comes out of this with both Smith and Toppin after the trade.

Smith might be the most overrated player on this board.  His defense is flat out awful.  He’s not long enough to play the interior and not close to agile enough to defend the perimeter.  He would not see the floor in a competitive game for the Celtics unless there were multiple injuries.  He’s shooting the 3 well this year, but it’s generally not advisable to imagine a sub-30% career 3-point shooter suddenly became elite in the offseason based on 62 attempts in a season.

The player to go after in that deal is Toppin, not Smith, if we’re looking for someone who would actually get minutes here.

I agree. I've liked Toppin as a fit on our team for a while now. He's a good energy big off the bench.

[Birdman]

Guess it’s final:

Pacers get Siakam
Toronto gets Brown, Nwara, Kira Lewis (pelicans) & 3 firsts
New Orleans ?

[Birdman]

Good get for Raptors..be good for Pacers if they can sign him to an contracts extension

[Vermont Green]

On Tuesday, the Pacers’ latest outgoing framework included 25-year-old reserve shooter Jordan Nwora, league sources told Yahoo Sports, with the final salary needed to match Siakam’s $37.8 million number being either Obi Toppin or Jalen Smith. Two of the picks on the table from Indiana are the pair of 2024 first-round selections the Pacers have in their cupboard, sources said. Aaron Nesmith’s $5.6 million salary would also represent a match for Siakam’s figure, in addition to Brown and Nwora. – via Jake Fischer @ Yahoo! Sports

So the reported framework is Bruce Brown, Nwora, and one other player.  TOR wants Bennedict Mathurin, IND is offering Toppin or Smith or maybe Nesmith.  If IND is including 3 firsts, I wouldn't include Mathurin either.

In any case, it does not look like Smith is going to become available as a result of this.  He will probably end up in TOR.

I remain interested.  We can send them Mykhailiuk and Stevens (IND will need bodies after trading 3 for 1) and a pick, maybe a second, but probably a first would be needed.  This assumes that IND comes out of this with both Smith and Toppin after the trade.

Smith might be the most overrated player on this board.  His defense is flat out awful.  He’s not long enough to play the interior and not close to agile enough to defend the perimeter.  He would not see the floor in a competitive game for the Celtics unless there were multiple injuries.  He’s shooting the 3 well this year, but it’s generally not advisable to imagine a sub-30% career 3-point shooter suddenly became elite in the offseason based on 62 attempts in a season.

The player to go after in that deal is Toppin, not Smith, if we’re looking for someone who would actually get minutes here.

Not sure about the first statement but I agree, Toppin would be better.  If Siakam is now the starter at PF, maybe it will be Toppin they look to move to get a pick back.  Toppin does not quite fit our TPE so it would be harder.

[BitterJim]

It would be interesting to see what this does to Jalen Smith's minutes.  Toppin has started 28 games and playing 24'ish minutes.  Smith started 11 games and is playing more like 18 minutes.  So if Siakam is the starter, Toppin would be the primary back up?  Smith to deep bench?

It seems like Jalen Smith could be a target for the Celtics for that elusive back up PF role.  If Indy is giving up 3 firsts, we could give them back one and maybe a player like Stevens to give them back some depth at wing.

I wouldn't want to deal a #1 for Smith, who is a better backup C than PF.

He is only 23, hard to be sure what he is.  Do you think we would get someone better with pick 30 or 29 in say 2025 or whatever?  I am not sure how good Smith is or can be, I admit.  Seems more promising than a future pick though.

He is shooting 47% from 3 this year.  That may not hold up.  Stats can be deceiving.  Seems like we get a younger, taller Grant Williams on a much cheaper contract.  With Smith, you know at a minimum, he is a decent bench big who can play at the NBA level.  With a future pick, you could end up with a lot less than that (or you could get lucky).

With a pick, it's not just how good the player you pick with it is: it's also the salary, years of control, and what other players you could trade the pick for (or who you could trade for using the picks that are locked down after trading the pick). We only have so many tradable first rounders, we shouldn't waste any on guys that will just ride the bench.

[Vermont Green]

Guess it’s final:

Pacers get Siakam
Toronto gets Brown, Nwara, Kira Lewis (pelicans) & 3 firsts
New Orleans ?

Just a salary dump for NOP apparetnly:

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the New Orleans Pelicans will also be involved in the deal. By adding Lewis to the deal, New Orleans allowed Indiana to match Siakam’s salary without including another player, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. The move puts the Pelicans in position to get below the luxury tax threshold.

[SparzWizard]

Indiana became a big dark horse to steal the east.

[Vermont Green]

It would be interesting to see what this does to Jalen Smith's minutes.  Toppin has started 28 games and playing 24'ish minutes.  Smith started 11 games and is playing more like 18 minutes.  So if Siakam is the starter, Toppin would be the primary back up?  Smith to deep bench?

It seems like Jalen Smith could be a target for the Celtics for that elusive back up PF role.  If Indy is giving up 3 firsts, we could give them back one and maybe a player like Stevens to give them back some depth at wing.

I wouldn't want to deal a #1 for Smith, who is a better backup C than PF.

He is only 23, hard to be sure what he is.  Do you think we would get someone better with pick 30 or 29 in say 2025 or whatever?  I am not sure how good Smith is or can be, I admit.  Seems more promising than a future pick though.

He is shooting 47% from 3 this year.  That may not hold up.  Stats can be deceiving.  Seems like we get a younger, taller Grant Williams on a much cheaper contract.  With Smith, you know at a minimum, he is a decent bench big who can play at the NBA level.  With a future pick, you could end up with a lot less than that (or you could get lucky).

With a pick, it's not just how good the player you pick with it is: it's also the salary, years of control, and what other players you could trade the pick for (or who you could trade for using the picks that are locked down after trading the pick). We only have so many tradable first rounders, we shouldn't waste any on guys that will just ride the bench.

I agree, I get the years of control aspect, that is fair.  I also appreciate the opportunity cost aspect of trading the pick.  We only have so many and you don't want to waste a pick on a young player whose defense is so bad that he won't play (if that is in fact the case).

I would still rather trade a pick for a player that can help us now vs. maybe help us in the future.  Maybe Jalen Smith isn't that guy.  I really don't know how bad his defense is but he is a young athletic big with some scoring touch.  IND isn't playing a whole lot of defense as a team.  I will accept the consensus that his defense is that bad.

[BitterJim]

Guess it’s final:

Pacers get Siakam
Toronto gets Brown, Nwara, Kira Lewis (pelicans) & 3 firsts
New Orleans ?

Just a salary dump for NOP apparetnly:

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the New Orleans Pelicans will also be involved in the deal. By adding Lewis to the deal, New Orleans allowed Indiana to match Siakam’s salary without including another player, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. The move puts the Pelicans in position to get below the luxury tax threshold.

That doesn't make any sense. Toronto can send out more salary than they bring in, it doesn't need to match on their end, and adding Kira Lewis doesn't increase the salary that Indiana is sending out (which does need to match the incoming salary). Someone has some wires crossed here

[Vermont Green]

Guess it’s final:

Pacers get Siakam
Toronto gets Brown, Nwara, Kira Lewis (pelicans) & 3 firsts
New Orleans ?

Just a salary dump for NOP apparetnly:

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the New Orleans Pelicans will also be involved in the deal. By adding Lewis to the deal, New Orleans allowed Indiana to match Siakam’s salary without including another player, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. The move puts the Pelicans in position to get below the luxury tax threshold.

That doesn't make any sense. Toronto can send out more salary than they bring in, it doesn't need to match on their end, and adding Kira Lewis doesn't increase the salary that Indiana is sending out (which does need to match the incoming salary). Someone has some wires crossed here

I don't understand the technicalities either.  There must be some way that Lewis to IND was a separate trade and then he was included in the deal for Siakam to make the salaries work.  I didn't think you could combine things in that way but there must be a loop hole that they exploited.

[celticsclay]

Indiana became a big dark horse to steal the east.

Do they even  have a top 15 player right now?I think Halliburton will become that but is not there yet. They also need a lot of defensive improvement from some of their young guys. Probably a lot more realistic next year.