New Orleans Pelicans: A crazy three-team trade with Jrue Holiday

The Indiana Pacers add Gordon Hayward to still contend in the Eastern Conference but they also get draft picks that could help foster an impending rebuild

Why the Pacers make the deal

For the Indiana Pacers, this deal helps out an NBA team that is stuck in a hard spot. The Pacers have been a consistent playoff threat, but they’re failing to breakthrough into contention. With both Victor Oladpio and Myles Turner potentially wanting out this team helps them adjust. 

Beginning with shipping out Myles Turner. This is a bold move but one that will help the Pacers grow because as long as Turner is playing in Indiana’s frontcourt, fellow big man Domantas Sabonis struggles to showcase his own talents.

By sending off Turner, the Pacers get to allow Sabonis to operate as the sole big man on the roster which is where the Pacers thrived last season.

Then there’s the addition of Gordon Hayward. Rumors have already speculated that Hayward and the Pacers have a mutual interest because the Pacers want an All-Star caliber wing, and Hayward would like to leave Boston and return to Indiana where he’s from.

It’s a move that makes a lot of sense for Pacers because a core of Oladpio, Hayward, and Sabonis with TJ Warren could contend in the Eastern Conference as a last-ditch effort by Indiana’s front office.

If this move fails Indiana though, then they don’t need to worry because they’ll receive some protection in the form of two-first round picks which could be beneficial in the Pacers starting a rebuild, especially if Oladipo is traded too.

And finally, we saved the best for last, so let’s take a look at how the New Orleans Pelicans would benefit from this bonkers trade.