The Pacers reportedly want Gordon Hayward given his connection to Indiana, and they are surely worried about Victor Oladipo walking next season. They need a coaching spark and we need a coaching spark, so here is a controversial idea: What if we trade Brad Stevens as part of a mega package to Indiana, and we go into next season with Tony Bennett of the University of Virginia, a “player’s coach” as one of Bennett’s assistant coaches (KG? PP? Perk?), and upgraded players via the following:
Brad Stevens
Gordon Hayward
Romeo Langford
Grant Williams
Vincent Poirier
Semi Ojeleye
2020 first-round pick
2020 first-round pick
2022 first-round pick (top 3 protected)
2024 first-round pick (top 3 protected)
For
Damontis Sabonis
Victor Oladipo
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We immediately sign Tony Bennett away from the University of Virginia and go upgraded into 2020-2021 with Bennett, Sabonis, Oladipo, and the 14th overall pick, with the icing on the cake being a drop below the luxury tax line this year so as to avoid repeat-offense status (and somehow still having a starting line-up of all-stars):
Walker
Oladipo
Brown
Tatum
Sabonis
Smart
Theis
R. Williams
Ring-chaser at the veteran minimum
14th overall pick
Edwards
Green
Fall
2020 second-round pick
Ring-chaser between the vet minimum and MLE (15th addition to the roster, so offer what gets us $1 shy of luxury line)
Thoughts? Do we need to add the 2026 first-round pick to get Sabonis? How good does Oladipo need to be for us to win it all? Are we still better off even if Oladipo busts and walks next off-season, but Sabonis maintains all-star status at 24-25 years old? Or can we really win titles the next decade with a core of Tatum, Brown, Sabonis and Smart?