The NBA trade deadline is one week away and things remain relatively quiet across the league. According to @BovadaLV, oddsmakers put the over/under on deadline deals at 6.5. Among the big names mentioned, Rajon Rondo has 3 to 1 odds to be traded, while Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol have 1 to 1 to be dealt. Wonder what the odds are that they will be swapped for one another?
Tom Ziller at SB Nation.com, is rolling through the trade situation for each team in the league. For the Pacers, not surprisingly, he's thinking they might try to upgrade at point guard and/or big man.
The point guard position is unresolved. Darren Collison is the starter, but hasn't been as good as expected since being acquired from the New Orleans Hornets. Indiana traded its No. 15 pick last June for George Hill, who (through injuries) has assumed a back-up two-guard role behind George. Understandably, the team expected more from those two. Collision is 24 and Hill 25, so it's not as if there isn't room for growth. But it stands to reason that the Pacers could be much better if it could upgrade that position.
The Pacers have four more games before the deadline hits and if they continue trending in the wrong direction, the urgency to make a deal may ramp up significantly. We know there will be external pressure from the fan base to make a deal.
Check out a few links after the jump, including the Pacers still looking for their swagger and my latest video update.
- PACERS: Pacers Red Cross collect for tornado victims
- PACERS: Caught in the Web Indiana Pacers blog: Pacers hope hard work can rebuild swagger
- How important is 'playoff experience'? - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN
- NBA Trade Deadline 2012 Previews: From Dwight Howard To Luxury Tax Lubricants - SBNation.com
- NBA Trade Deadline 2012: Pacers Have Core In Place, But Moves Are Possible - SBNation.com
- Basketball Prospectus | Answering Why