Because of injuries the Indiana Pacers are most likely not going to the playoffs this season. Should they trade away their All-Star center, Roy Hibbert?
Any teams in the NBA interested in finding a rim protector?
Portland Trail Blazers, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks, we’re more specifically talking to you.
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The Indiana Pacers are fifth in the NBA’s Central Division with a record of 21-33. Because of injuries, and their woeful record, the Pacers are now open to a situation where they would trade away their All-Star center, Roy Hibbert.
Rival executives in the NBA league offices have said that the Pacers are interested in making a deal that would involved Hibbert to another team.
One of the reasons why the Pacers are going to have a difficult time finding a suitor for Hibbert is because of the way that his contract is structured. Hibbert has an opt-out clause in his contract that could make him an unrestricted free agent, so any team that gambles trading for him now could get burned later.
The situation that teams want to avoid is similar to the way that Dwight Howard left the Los Angeles Lakers to play for the Houston Rockets after being traded from the Orlando Magic.
However for all of the aforementioned teams above, and a number of other franchises in the league, they should be dialing their phones and attempting to get Hibbert on their franchise.
Hibbert’s one of the best when it comes to protecting the rim, and his services could take a playoff team over the hump into becoming a legitimate championship contender.
On the surface the deal doesn’t look to wise since Hibbert is one of the tallest players in the league and he’s very highly skilled as a basketball player.
But it’s hard to argue because this season it’s been a bit of a down year for Hibbert as he’s been putting up pedestrian numbers offensively averaging 11.1 points on a bad 45 percent shooting from the floor.
However, besides the scoring numbers everything else across the board for Hibbert looks well as he also is averaging 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game.
If the Pacers do manage to hold off on keeping Hibbert they would pair him with good surrounding pieces. The Pacers are going to have a lottery pick in the 2015 NBA Draft so they could use it to give Hibbert another big body in the paint, or a swingman on the wing.
Keep in mind that their shooting guard, Paul George, is scheduled to return as well.
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