Grade the trade: Pelicans bring back sharpshooter in mock trade
By Mat Issa
Pacers Receive: Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., First-Round Pick
In Simone’s mock trade, the Pacers would receive Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., and a first-round pick (he doesn’t specify which one.
Let me be frank. I like Hield, and I’m very impressed by what he has been able to do during his time with the Pacers. But if the Pacers land this haul for him, that’s a huge win.
As we’ve seen with past trades for players like this, the team acquiring the services of the shooter either parts ways with modest draft capital and salary filler, or they give up a starting-caliber player and a young flier. This deal gives them the best of both worlds, and then some.
While he only started one game for us last year, everyone who pays close attention knows that Nance Jr. is a starting-caliber big man in this league. One could even argue that he’s a better player than Olynyk.
In general, I’d say most teams value having one first-round pick just as much (if not more) than having three second-round picks. So, there’s the draft capital portion of it. That means the Pacers would be getting a starting-caliber player and some draft capital.
That’s without even factoring in Daniels. Unlike Lee, Daniels isn’t a young flier. He’s a legit building block. He’s only one year removed from being selected eighth overall by the Pelicans in the 2022 NBA Draft.
If the Pacers get all this for Hield, fans of the team should be filled with joy. This is a damn near perfect package for Hield. My only nitpick would be that Nance’s skillset may be a bit redundant with Jarace Walker already on their roster. But again, that qualm is marginal. Overall, this is a major win for Indiana.
Grade: A