NBA Draft Rumors: Damian Lillard ripple effect, Hornets indecision, Pacers trade

NBA Draft Rumors: Pacers looking to trade 7th pick for high-level wing, O.G. Anunoby involved

As many other teams are trying to do this offseason, the Indiana Pacers are in the market for a wing. They’ve been connected to Raptors 3-and-D stalwart O.G. Anunoby, should he be made available. But the Pacers have an arsenal to make it happen, including the No. 7 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft which, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, they’d be willing to deal.

Indiana is in an advantageous position of owning three first-round picks in this year’s draft, which could give them ammo for Anunoby or another wing that fits the mold they want to build in for the future.

Whether Anunoby or someone else, though, Indiana has been reportedly aggressive in shopping the No. 7 pick. This was made even more apparent with projected Top 10 pick Ausar Thompson canceling a scheduled workout with the Pacers, seemingly an indication given the other reports of a possible trade of the pick that Indiana won’t be making the selection at No. 7.

In addition to Anunoby, the Pacers have also been linked to Trail Blazers wing Matisse Thybulle and, again with the Raptors, Pascal Siakam.

The Pacers finished just outside of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament this past season and are clearly looking to upgrade their starting rotation around Buddy Hield, Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin. Adding any of these players with the help of trading the No. 7 pick would go a long way to accomplishing that.