There's been some talk on here about the Pacers involving themselves in a deal to help Minnesota get Wes Johnson from NJ or Evan Turner from Philly. While it's more realistic that if they're going to do this, it would involve very few pieces, and be a pretty modest trade, here's a possible huge, four team mega-trade that actually helps everyone involved. Unfortunately it helps the Pacers the least, but sounds like something Larry Bird would do, as it adds salary, doesn't give up Danny Granger, and doesn't add any good draft picks. Sorry, that just sounds like a Bird move to me. Check it:

IND gets Jonny Flynn, Andre Igoudala, Elton Brand and the #27 pick

NJ gets Al Jefferson, the #4 pick and T.J. Ford

PHI gets Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy, the #16 pick, the #23 pick and a future first rounder from Indiana (lottery protected next year, perhaps unprotected after that)

MIN gets the #2 pick, the #3 pick, Yi Jianlian and Courtney Lee

So...

Indiana gets its starting PG, a #2 scorer/creator in Igoudala, and adds a first round pick, but has to take on Elton Brand's salary which, combined with Igoudala's, will push the cap until Tinsley and Foster come off the books, and prevent future free agent growth.

NJ gets a potential all-star caliber PF to pair on the low block with Brook Lopez, then whoever they want at #4 (Derrick Favors as a future project, or a trade down could be a possibility) and keeps Devin Harris (remember, Prokhorov wants to win NOW...this is the type of move he might be pressuring his front office to make) but loses about $17 mil in cap space and still doesn't address the glaring need at the wing (in fact loses the only two somewhat legit wing players they have, though Ford's $9 million will come off the books next year)...but there's still cap space for a guy like Mike Miller or Ray Allen, who combined with Harris, Jefferson and Lopez might be enough for a decent playoff run this year.

PHI gets immediate cap relief to the tune of roughly $5 million, gets out from underneath Elton Brand's suffocating contract and manages to stay in the first round with Minnesota's two picks, plus it gets some more cap relief this summer when Murphleavy come off the books, but has to give up Igoudala and a chance at Evan Turner, Wes Johnson or DeMarcus Cousins for 50 cents on the dollar.

MIN gets an opportunity to draft their two favorite players, Turner AND Johnson, gets out from underneath Jefferson and takes back some decent role players in Lee and Jianlian, but sacrifices their starting PG in a PG-thin draft, and barring one of those picks going to Favors (which would make the Nets ecstatic, as it would mean they could do all of this upgrading and STILL draft Johnson) they'd be sort of screwed for the short-term in the low post.

I know it's out of the question, and it sort of screws the Pacers, but wouldn't it be fun to watch any of the four following cores?

IND:

PG-Flynn/Terrico White (#27)/Price

SG-Igoudala/Rush/D. Jones

SF-Granger/Paul George (#10)

PF-Brand/Hansbrough

C-Hibbert/S. Jones

NJ:

PG-Harris/Ford

SG-Wes Johnson (#4)/Chris Douglas Roberts or Ray Allen or Randy Foye (FAs)

SF-Wes Johnson (#4) or Mike Miller or Josh Howard (FAs)

PF-Al Jefferson/Favors (if Johnson wasn't available)

C-Brook Lopez

PHI:

PG-Holliday/Armon Johnson (#23)

SG-Lou Williams/Willie Green/Dunleavy

SF-Thad Young/Andris Nocioni

PF-Speights/Epke Udoh (#16)

C-Spencer Hawes/Murphy

MIN:

PG-Sessions/Turner/future Rubio

SG-Wes Johnson or Courtney Lee/Corey Brewer

SF-Turner or Gomes/Jianlian

PF-Kevin Love/Favors (if they don't take Johnson)

C-Darko (if he re-signs)

??????