The ideal pickup for the Pacers is an in-prime wing who can silence top scorers on the defensive end and perk up the offense with shot-making, some creation and an ability to thrive both on and off the ball. Oh, and an added bonus if said player isn’t making top dollar.
Mikal Bridges checks every last box on that list and more that we didn’t mention. Playing around scoring threats like Haliburton and Siakam should do wonders for Bridges’ efficiency, never mind what it would mean for conserving some energy and allowing him to play lock-down defense every second he’s on the floor.
As for that affordability, his contract is one of the best non-rookie deals you’ll find. He is a borderline star who will cost less than $50 million ($48.2 million to be precise, per Spotrac), making him an absolute steal in the NBA economy.
The questions here are whether the Nets would give him up and whether the Pacers would have the best offer for him. Neither would be called likely, but they don’t seem impossible, either. Brooklyn might soon decide it won’t get good enough quickly enough to capitalize on Bridges’ prime, so it could opt for the asset-collection route. As for Indiana’s offer, the franchise doesn’t have as many draft assets as some, but some combination of Walker, Mathurin, two first-round picks and up to four swaps would be the foundation of a pretty formidable trade package.
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