The Indiana Pacers largely stood pat at the NBA trade deadline, only sending James Wiseman to the Toronto Raptors in a minor deal. They didn’t move any of their key players, nor did they land anyone.
However, that does not mean the Pacers have not been active in trade discussions in previous months.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus has revealed that Indiana “tested the market” for Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin in order to potentially open up more financial flexibility for the offseason.
The Pacers signed Toppin to a four-year, $58 million extension last summer. Meanwhile, Mathurin becomes eligible for an extension after the season, and with Myles Turner prepared to hit free agency, Indiana may be seeking ways to trim some fat in order to retain its big man.
While Toppin is certainly expendable, it is a bit surprising that the Pacers put out feelers on Mathurin, who has been one of their most consistent players all season long.
The 22-year-old is averaging 16.6 and 5.7 rebounds over 31.5 minutes per game on 47.5/35.5/81.8 shooting splits this season, and while his playmaking and defense definitely leave something to be desired, he remains an obvious offensive threat due to his ability to create his own shot and regularly get to the free-throw line.
If anything, Indiana might be better off locking up Mathurin on an extension this summer, as he has ample room to grow and has been impressive ever since entering the league during the 2022-23 campaign.
Toppin boasts some solid trade value thanks to his defensive versatility and ability to spread the floor, so perhaps the Pacers could aim to rehome him during the offseason.
