By Jordan Long
The Indiana Pacers stand at 10-16, 13th in the Eastern Conference. They might be looking to the future to rebuild. Indiana is going to listen to trade offers for Domantas Sabonis.
Sabonis is a young star in this league at 25 years old. He is in his 6th NBA season. Sabonis is averaging 17.8 points per game, which is less than the 20.3 points from the 2020-2021 season. When it comes to rebounding, he is still able to box out for him to grab the basketball. Those can start fast breaks which are opportunities to score more points. He is averaging 12 rebounds per game.
A team could want to talk to the Pacers because of what he can do on the floor. He can shoot the basketball from anywhere on the court. Sabonis shoots 57.2% from the field. He is more comfortable with baskets near the hoop. Sabonis can nail the 3’s but that is not the best part of his game. He is making 3’s at 27.9% so far this year.
The part of his game needing improvement is free throws. Sabonis isn’t a shooter who should be at the line in a tight ball game. There is always a chance he is going to miss which could change the course of a game. Sabonis’ free throw percentage is 76.1%, the best in his career.
The Pacers look like a team that may deal one of the best young power forwards in the NBA. When it comes down to a trade, salary is the main factor. Both teams have to match the salary. Sabonis’ cap hit isn’t that large. He is owed $19.8 million this year and the Pacers would probably have to pay some in an agreement. Next year Sabonis’ salary is $18.5 million and in 2024 it is at $19.4 million. He will hit free agency at the end of the 2024 season. A team must be willing to pay for this young star.
The worst case is the Pacers keep Sabonis at least for now. They are not totally out of the playoff race yet. Indiana is only 3.5 games from the play-in round. The 10th seed right now is Boston. Indiana could go on a winning streak to bridge the gap. The time to make a trade is February 10th which is the trade deadline. They will have a better understanding of where they are. At that point changes can be made if the playoffs aren’t an option. Until then, they should stand the course with Sabonis and the roster.
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