Does standing pat at the trade deadline make the most sense for Indiana Pacers after Siakam deal?

Does standing pat at the trade deadline make the most sense for Indiana Pacers after Siakam deal?

It’s trade deadline week Pacers have already made their big move could they stand Pat the rest of the week is that a bad idea is that a good idea let’s cut through everything the Pacers could consider and if it makes sense for them to stand Pat or do something aggressive

Jimmy Cook from 1075 the fal join us to break it all down on today’s locked on Pacers podcast you are locked on Pacers your daily Indiana Pacers podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day what up y’all happy Tuesday and happy game day welcome into another edition of

The lock on Pacers podcast where are we of course talk about the Indiana Pacers as always my name’s Tony East I cover the team for Forbes and Si and today we’re not talking much about the Houston Rockets we do a little it is trade deadline week and that is the focus of

Today’s show and many topics this week covering the Indiana Pacers Jimmy Cook from 1075 the fans going to join us talk about the Pacers on an interesting trade deadline they already have made their big move but there’s still some stuff they could do does it make sense for them to stand Pat

This week sit on their hands and figure it all out in the summer or should they look for Action when it comes to some of the stuff that they could consider with their expiring contracts their front Court log JY and one more thing the Jimmy gets me to talk about lots to get

With the Pacers this week we’ll talk about some newer rumors that have come out about them uh in the last week and a half or so tomorrow as well as talking about what happens in Pacers rockets and of course all week there’ll be plenty of trade chatter to talk about in the NBA

But for now let’s get right into it talking Pacers standing Pat or not with Jimmy Cook Jimmy Cook in the house from 1075 The Fan we usually talk to each other on Thursdays today is Monday but we still have a lot to get to Jimmy I didn’t tell you this but you have

Unintentionally stressed me out because during trade deadline week I am petrified of recording a podcast earliest in the day and then a trade happens after and so I have to redo everything so it is currently 7:15 Monday evening likely nothing will happen but Jimmy I will be stressed how

Are you are you oh my goodness did you just see no I’m just kidding yeah no it there’s no moves no moves no move funny my sister is FaceTiming me right now so I looked at my phone and was like I hope nothing’s happening because I can’t

Actually see my notification no no moves of at this point but Tony the fact that there’s no moves right now what does it mean what does it all mean I don’t know but I want to find out happy to be back thank you for having me as always I’m

Happy to do it it’s a fun it’s an interesting week to me it’s more fun for me because nothing significant seems like it’s going to happen with the Pacers but that is something I actually want to articulate and talk to you about because it’s a weird trade deadline

Approach this time because theyers made a mid January big trade right like it’s kind of similar to the 2021 year which was already a weird year because there were no fans or anything but they traded all Depot like eight games into that season and Caris ver was gonna come back

Eventually but not yet you know that was kind of an odd trade deadline but they already made their big move so it’s like there’s stuff for them that they can do and should consider and maybe the market will bear out in a way that it makes

Sense but it’ll feel weird this week to some fans if they do nothing but they already did something huge you know what I mean it’s kind of like a weird time they’ve already had like three weeks of this new team but that’s not us that’s not typical of of trade deadline week

You know wait so you’re trying to tell me and I I might have to leave now the Pascal C AUM trade was not the move before the move that that’s not what that was I misread no I’m sorry I can’t help Pacers fans but have fun with Tony

Because he does get stressed out about trade deadline a week because you might not know it but if you’re covering the team on a regular basis your world basically get turned upside down in the blink of an eye if a trade goes through or if it doesn’t go through I love the

OJ mayo joke we can’t help but bring that up every every Pacers trade deadline season no like if you’re a Pacers fan there’s reason to think well maybe a move could happen right like my biggest fear Tony is always what’s the opposite of buus remorse is always when you don’t act on

Something and when you don’t act on something you wind up gaining nothing out of it for example when there’s an expiring contract on your books that will be a potential free agent this coming off seon and you’re like well they’re likely not going to pay the

Money to retain player X why don’t they try to move him at the deadline that’s where I kind of get a stressed out anxiety filled thought when I look at guys like buddy hee or guys like Obi toppen who may or may not be here next

Year but I feel like present value to teams and maybe I’m mising the room there maybe they could still be Pacers a year from now maybe buddy comes back on a Team friendly deal I don’t know he’s in his 30s he might want one last big

Payday and if it’s the latter where a player wants a big payday I always get worried about losing especially when you’re a small Market team an asset for nothing when plenty of contenders might break the doors down to get somebody like buddy healed maybe so and that’s

Why I think this week is so interesting because like the because their big move was almost a month ago at this point mid mid January just a weird time for a trade even though the Knicks and Clippers already did it this year it’s like they still have reasons to do

Trades and we’ll talk about them obviously everybody knows them at this point like what he healed like you said his contract expires he’s extension eligible but they can’t renegotiate him anymore like they did with MES Turner last year and he hasn’t been playing very well the last month and a half you

Know do they look to do something there could they get an upgrade there but they just traded for round picks or Obi toppin similar thinking he’ll need a raise next year even if he’s restricted free agent and they’re guaranteed to keep him money is something they have to

Be cognizant of now or their front Court we’ll talk about that later but they have reasons to trade still but their the reasons are worse because they have Pascal seaka now they are trying to win right now right like you don’t expiring contracts are are a good thing teams

Want them for reason but they are good because they offer you flexibility the Pacers are not I mean flexibility is good but they’re not as interested in that anymore trying to win right now right so since bu heal isn’t playing as well it’s a lot easier to be like well

You could upgrade at his position and sure that’s true but you know the value anyone on the team provides even other expiring contracts like Obby toppen or even maybe Jaylen Smith because of his player option what they provide you for the last two months plus whatever postseason there is of the Season also

Matters right so them not doing anything air quotes at the deadline they acquired P kakum they already did something but them not doing anything makes way more sense now and I always kind of default to doing nothing is what most teams will do like last year the Pacers only move

Was a salary dump with Jordan war and sergy Baka and George Hill right like that’s like a standard trade deadline for a lot of teams so I I think that doing nothing it’s very plausible even if there is lots of chatter and stuff that makes sense there’s also reasons

Not to do stuff it’s just kind of the timing of it is interesting from like a discourse perspective which is such a nerdy thing to say well you’re always hunting a big fish every team in theory is hunting a big fish whether it is draft capital or whether it is a big

Name and for the Pacers to your point Tony they just happen to get their like if the the trade deadline is the end of hunting season I’m GNA take this down this weird analogy and keep it going well they just happen to get I’ve never gone hunting before clearly they just

Happen to get the big Buck early in the hunting season right and and now they don’t need a hunt anymore they’re good they’re fine they can stand Pat maybe now somebody else wants to come and poach some of your assets like a buddy heel and sure if someone’s going to give

You draft picks or a comparable player that is on a better money deal of course you’re going to say yes to that but the Pacers I feel like and I think you agree with this are no longer in hunting mode if somebody wants to approach them with a deal yeah

They’ll listen to it and maybe it’s agreeable or maybe it’s a disgruntled star or disgruntled young player somewhere else on team Friendly Deals where it’s like hey we Carlile system this Pacers culture we could take that on and that way we’re not losing player X like a buddy heal in the offseason for

Nothing and we have future stability because we talked about this today on querying company Tony and I want to get your thoughts of course you could hear that uh weekdays noon to three on 935 1075 The Fan but I want to get your thoughts on this too Tony Jake brought

Up the fact that buddy healed the way he’s played which has been bad the last couple of games yes while unfortunate maybe is a preview of what life looks like without him and maybe you look at the roster and say well they could actually still survive without him

And maybe that makes you more open to dealing him at the deadline now the flip side of that coin is well another team sees him playing this bad they no longer want to give up top dollar for him they want to try to find him on the cheap so

It’s the es and flows of Leverage and negotiation that go on around this time of year usually even though I love pencils down and all that fun stuff that happens when the deadline hits and I hate that TW everybody that 301 I’m like shut up I hate it it happens across

Every sport that has a trade deadline and it always makes me cackle because I know it bothers people like Tony they’re like okay we make the same joke for 15 years and oh wait everybody wait there could be a trade in the trade queue that hasn’t been reported yet shut up we all

Know how it works it’s a NeverEnding cycle of chaos more often than not these deadlines are nothing burgers and even if it’s a nothing Burger this time for the Pacers they already had their burger a couple weeks ago I said hunting a buck and now I’ve said eating a burger I I’m

Full of analogies today t a bison B or Buck burger whatever I don’t know a bison burger from bubs Burgers here in car you 1075 The Fan which I have to tell you one time with someone else on your station I said 1075 and they thought I just

Said they made the same face you just did they thought I like murdered someone right in front of them they were very confused well it’s cuz am used to be a thing and there was 1070 AM that doesn’t exist anymore but then you all of a sudden it’s like oh they moved five

Stations up the dial no it’s it’s 107.5 Tony missed the point it’s okay 935 1075 The hey everyone short little break to talk to you about FanDuel happy Super Bowl week to all who celebrate from FanDuel Jimmy is celebrating he’s a Chiefs fan and America’s number one

Sports book is excited like you if you’re like me Super Bowl Sunday is all about scoring the best seat on your couch grabbing your favorite football snacks chips and salce for the win and placing some super bets fanduels the place to do that they have so many ways

For you to end the season with a W or two or three not only can you bet on who will win Super Bowl 58 but FanDuel also has bets for how many points will be scored which players are going to score a touchdown and so much more new

Customers joined today you’ll get two $100 in bonus bets if your first bet of $5 or more wins how about that to get that offer though you’ve got to go to fanduel.com lockon and sign up again $200 in bonus bets if your first bet of $5 or more wins that’s fel.com lockon

Make every moment more with FanDuel an official Sportsbook partner of the NFL yeah buddy heel is I I think the most interesting player for the Pacers this week right and Jake I think has an astute point there that like life without him if they can survive it you

Know they did very well against the Hornets with a fully healthy team on Sunday there’s a first time fully healthy in Forever there’s a second factor to that too which is at the same time that he is I don’t want to say descending like like I know he’s

Shooting bad at least for his standards he’s still had 38% this year which is crazy I think he’s justed a slump personally I do too but like I’ll talk about that in a second he 38% is low for him right and I still when he shoots thre like believe the next one’s going

In which I shouldn’t because his percentage is lower this year but whatever not only is that happening where his defense you know he’s the worst defender in the rotation by a healthy amount now and he’s not making shots Ben Shepard who would be the beneficiary of his minutes potentially

Depending on what a trade would be was like effective last month too right so like that also adds some comfort to that even though I think if you’re any team including the Pacers you prefer budy Hill been your player for but he is currently I believe let me let me sort

This to make sure I get this wrong second worst three-point percentage of his career right now the only lower one the year he previously got traded from the Kings to the Pacers ironically enough and his salary was a key part of that goad thought go ahead so buddy Hee

Now has now we have it’s no longer an anomaly it’s a trend whenever buddy hee thinks he’s about to get traded his numbers dip but then post deadline after the All-Star break you’re going to see a rise in those data points because he can rest easy knowing he still has a home

For a couple months what do you think okay of his four worst shooting seasons of his career two of them were years he got traded although both of them he was just involved in like the Pelicans got Boogie cousins right buddy heel happened to be in that trade and

The Pacers got tyres hurn yeah but how do those numbers look the second half of the year that’s what I want to know how they look not here for your nonsense um uh with the Pelicans actually he shot way worse after the trade well the Pelicans are bad

Organizations so I don’t want to get like make this all about buddy heeld but he is one more thing if I may yes yes you need to look at buddy hee and ask yourself are you comfortable with him potentially walking and there being no assets there right if you think there’s

A a spot where maybe they come to terms of the deal then not to trade him but to resign him in the offseason perfect but if they’re not going to move him I think the thought would be and you can correct me if I’m wrong it would be better to

Keep him and risk losing him for nothing because of what he brings to the table still than it would be rocking the boat just for the sake of making a trade and avoiding a complication in the offseason and that’s kind of what that’s kind of what Bobby Mark said last week he’s like

You know you’re winning now you have Pascal sakam you’ve sold the locker room via your transactions and your talent we’re trying to win now you have to walk in there and tell him hey we you know this guy bu healed y like yeah he’s gone now we traed like that’s hard that

Doesn’t makes sense even if it does because of his contract right it’s like that’s not like easy it’s not the easiest thing to do like they can still extend him after the trade dead line all the way up to his free agency I don’t know what that would look like now with

His play this season but that’s still a thing they could sign and trade him they could keep him the reason it’s all a factor beyond that he’s an expiring contract and you have to think about his value to your playoff push one is that his value to your playoff push is less

Now because he was either a ninth man last night eighth man two nights ago now for you guys listening on Sunday him and toppen were both pretty low in the in the minutes totem but the other thing I have said a lot is his salary slot now

Is a big deal which is like the nerdy thing about all this but you know they have his bird rights and that’s great but they’re going to be over the cap in the off season so they either trade budy heeld for a player about the same salary

Or resign him at about the same salary or they just can’t get a player worth 15 plus million dollar the highest FR agent they could sign would be the non- tax pyramid level exception the same thing is true for yakum obviously like to keep him because he’s amazing not because of

A salary slot but you know that is also a factor here so maybe that pushes them to think more about trades with him because they could use that salary slot on another player but in general part of standing Pat with him would be what he can provide the rest of the season and

Maybe that’s just so low that it doesn’t matter and I’ve now overrated that to an comical extent given how he’s played the last couple weeks but he’s the most interesting player to me because there’s just a lot of factors putting pressure on what to do with him or how they could

Decideed to do it and if they don’t stand Pat I think he’d be the first the top the list of guys that I think they could do something with but not the only one this is why I turned off chemistry when I played 2K because I didn’t I

Didn’t care about rocking the boat okay I wanted to just be a dollars guy and just worry about it from a financial standpoint I didn’t need chemistry and they’re mad at me because I traded away the fifth player Off the Bench you know what I mean like I I don’t need that in

My life I think that’s one of the thing this is a tangent that that no one cares about but whatever sport Sports video games every year they try to get more realistic and I think that makes them worse it’s a game it’s like it being ridiculous is part of the fun like the

NFL Street games are still the best sports games I was older than I’m proud of when I would still turn salary cap off in franchise mode because I wanted to make my teams my way and I’ll be damned if I’m going to be fooled around with by cap situation and luxury tax and

Hard tax so NBA JM Rock NBA 2k not fun I to me a lot of people listening probably got got a copy behind me somewhere over there of NBA GM there you go there you go my favorite sports game is currently soccer with cars like

You get to do this anyway um back to the Pacers buddy heal’s a big thing obviously trading him makes sense not trading him makes sense the other stand psh decision to me is Obi toppen and that’s part of two discussions Obby toppin is a free agent technically but

They have Team control he’d be a restricted free agent if they offer him the qualifying offer he could just take it but it’s not that large he’s not gonna make starter criteria but the reason Obi toppin is interesting to me is twofold three-fold twofold whatever three reasons one his contract expires

So you have to think about his future just because of that even if they have Team control two he plays the four they just got a really good four in a trade and they just drafted a four who they would like to play so they there is a

Log Jam there and that’s actually a double Log Jam to me because not only is there jarus but there’s Jaylen Smith and Isaiah Jackson who also kind of fit in this discussion of Jaylen Smith could be gone isaah Jackson’s not playing he not in the rotation when they’re healthy we

Just saw that on Sunday because yakum n Smith Turner are going to play and so toen isn’t like blocking anybody right like jarus Walker playing this year it would be fine and it would make sense I pr did he’d start before the season but now they’re trying to win and rookies

Don’t typically help you win and they don’t have enough room for both Smith and Jackson who have both been good this year but Smith played well at the four earlier this season so like he’s not blocking anybody who like should be playing instead of him but

There are guys that are good and worthy of development right behind him who aren’t on expiring contracts and clearly the Pacers like because they drafted them so they clearly like Obi he’s played well for them he leads League of two point percentage like he’s a good

Player he just also is on an expiring deal in the front court that is very crowded so again if they’re trying to win this year top and Smith is their best Reserve front court and they probably if I’m being honest if they cut the rotation eight in the postseason I

Think topen would be the first guy to get cut out of the rotation but if they could get value for him they have the pieces to slide in already so he and heal are both similarly interesting to me even though I get the argument for and against keeping them in

The next if he being Obie if he is out of the playoff rotation then he is not a piece that I want brought back yes in the offseason that’s a fair point but like that makesense I’m not saying that means you have to trade him it doesn’t make sense I’m just

Saying if that’s the if that’s what happens then he’s not worth the money if he’s not good enough to make your playoff rotation maybe that’s not the right phrase if there’s too many better pieces ahead of him that he doesn’t crack your rotation he’s not worth

Paying the money that you might have to dish out if somebody makes him an offer and you have the opportunity to match can I respond to that in a way that’ll make you question that you just said that okay do you think that it was a mistake when they resigned TJ

McConnell because he was the guy they cut from the playoff rotation the very next season in the bubble against the Heat they said oh he can’t do this can’t I mean it would depend on the money though right like when I think when I think of Obi

Toppen I still think of a player and maybe I’ve lost the plot on this but when they acquired him I got excited for two reasons one won even though finally they have shown themselves to be a competent franchise for half a season I’m not saying it’s time to recrown them

Yet but the Knicks are a poorly run organization historically speaking the last 15 years not a great organization James Dolan kind of a mess right the thought is well Obi toppen just didn’t get opportunities there Julius Randall was in front of him he got stonewalled

He wasn’t in the right area to grow and Blossom now the Pacers are getting him on the cheap maybe they’re able to get something out of him that clearly hasn’t been the case in terms of what I thought he could be he’s been a nice player one

That he’s been called upon but I could very easily to your point Tony see him getting pushed out of a playoff rotation and if that happens why I wouldn’t want to bring him back is if I’m thinking this little old me that has no business being in an NBA front office there’s got

To be another GM out there that says hey 25 years old former lottery pick still has some good tread on those tires I want to give a boatload of cash to Obby toin and if that happens like 8 million a year roughly is what McConnell

Got out of his deal if that’s what he gets then okay I could stomach that but if it’s like 12 13 I I don’t know that I’d want to spend that or it be toping I don’t think he’ll get that much and if some if someone values him as that kind

Of player I think they’d value him in a trade too you know what I mean like right the Pacers gave up two very not good seconds for him and now he value is definitely higher than when the Pacers got him because he’s played well this year and like three-point shooting is a

Great thing to have and he has that now but it’s still a factor to me and I was just looking back through the rotations of the 201920 Season like McConnell was often this eighth or ninth guy you know for that team sometimes it was yeah but

Tony he has heart and grit okay and he’s ack he’s a locker room guy okay yes that is valuable you don’t hold it against you don’t hold it against him Tony East just because he got cut out of the rotation BL blah you and your facts H

Yeah Edmund Sumer less than 10 minutes in the playoffs Doug mcder eight minutes jakar Samson six minutes like that’s the kind of stuff that happens at the back end right like buddy heel are probably getting that like Sumer where’s TJ Leaf’s minutes okay and we continue with the front Court Log

Jam this next segment is brought To Us by our sponsor better help sometimes we all need the opportunity to get something off our chest big or small certain things can really start to get to you it is important to let that out especially to someone who’s unbiased on

Your life so today I want to tell you how I really feel about something you might even be thinking the same thing this week I think the trade deadline’s kind of boring trades can be interesting to talk about talking about what could happen is not very fun talking about

What will happen or what has happened is much more interesting especially as it relates to Games the actual basketball games the reason trades matter but that is what the NBA is all about and I like covering things that fans want to know about therapy can be different for

Everyone most of us have bigger problems than trades or our favorite sports teams and it’s important to get things off your chest every once in a while if you’ve been thinking about starting therapy give better help a try it’s entirely online designed to be flexible and suited to your schedule visit

Betterhelp.com lockdown MBA to get 10% off your first month that’s betterhelp.com loock on MBA so I’m not I’m not saying that top and shouldn’t play in the postseason like if he’s shooting well or playing well he should sure right I’m just like right now if you looked at it that might

Be the case anyway but healed the Obi to and two most interesting guys to me go ahead you had a thought go ahead spit it out but I might be stealing the plot line of the show go no no are we still talking front Court yes we are did you

Have another front Court name keep going go go go Jaylen Smith is a player option next year yes and there’s been heated discussion between you and myself and our mutual friend Edie Garrison who produces the fine show of quaran company on 93517 by the fan no to three every

Weekday um if he Ops out of that player option which I think he will NBA money is Monopoly money who knows what he gets would it be advantageous of a team to trade for him now or try to make an offer to the Pacers to get him

Now even though he has the player option under his belt and could opt down anyway like is that does that player option in your mind add anything positively or negatively to him as a trade piece well the thing about that is the team that would get him would either get his early

Bird rights as a free agent if he opts out which would would be plenty to be able to keep Jaylen Smith or he would opt in and they would just have him so assuming that team feels good about keeping him or has a role for him yeah

That makes sense and you know Smith is in an interesting spot right because I think he’s outplayed that money you just said the same thing and he is still really young and I know that’s like a known thing but you know because the Pacers are good and he’s

Playing so well it almost feels like he’s a vet like this is his third season with the Pacers which is crazy think about like he’s 23 still and so he could hit free agency not only thinking about his player option of like cash money but

Like where can I play a lot you know like that could matter to him and if Miles Turner and Pascal seak and maybe jarus Walker and other young bigs are still on the Pacers like maybe he’s playing some here but you know maybe he could play more maybe he could find his

Way to more earnings and maybe he just really likes the Pacers and wants to stay he did last time when they offered him that starting job and they were fully healthy the last night he played 20 minutes and and he averages I think this is the most minutes per game he’s

Averages season in a full season uh barely lower than last year either way you know can he go somewhere where he could play more than 18 minutes a game right so like his factors could be more than just Financial but yeah trading gu the player options always interesting

And unique and you never know what their goals are maybe he’ll just opt in and then they’ll have his full bird rids and you never know but yeah he is also fascinating like I don’t put him in the expiring contract group because it’s in his hands anyway but he could very well

Be do you remember Jimmy when we did our what of the odds show last love that was one of the questions Jaylen Smith OBS into his player option I said 80% chance you said 30% you are looking very good oh oh okay hold on give me a second oh boy

This this is bad for the audio audience got Gotta Give a high five to my past self for sticking to my guns exactly he’s gonna opt out he’s gonna be worth it he’s gonna be worth more than that player option I feel good about yeah he and he might be and so

That also is a factor like like Kobi top and just be your backup five I don’t know Isaiah Jackson’s playing very well this year and you have his restricted rights and you drafted him and you liked him and you picked up his option the front court is very confusing to me to

Me there’s a lot of questions and I don’t need to figure out the answers right now but they still I mean you look at that this is obviously a joke P fan you look at that uh expiring contract that Pascal SE yakum fell I me maybe

You’d want to move him me who knows you know you gota worry about you never know about the future with these young teams was it the move before the move was it the move before the move who’s the move yeah God H so is there anything else you

Think that internally from a Pacers perspective we haven’t really talked about like I think I mean we could look at their rotation from their last game and really just just point it out but it seems like everyone else my bad my fault my fault I don’t know what you’ve done

It seems like everyone else is pretty secure in a role or secure on the team unless they shock everybody and do something huge but I think the expiring in the front Court are kind of the only things that I think are truly fascinating in the coming days those

Were Pacers highlights by the way I was trying to click over to a tab and you know how it’s one of those sites where they have Recaps of previous games that was that was Pacers highlights so I apologize Pac I get it I’m very boring

To talk to so no I you mentioned that you were going to go and look back at last night’s game and joke about the rotation and I wanted to be there with you and then I started playing highlights from the last Pacers game

That’s on me it is so I it is on you sorry that was mean there’s not really anything else I see as like this guy is so obviously a trade candidate or they need to really think about upgrading this guy like you to go ahead it’s not obvious but

I’ve heard it discussed from Pacers fans oh boy there is an argument to be made of two players Andrew neard and Benedict Maan that their values both from a contract standpoint and a trajectory standpoint would never be higher I don’t think the Pacers would shop them but would somebody call

Inquiring about that I don’t think that’s a move the Pacers should make but when you look up it down the roster how many players are realistically available that somebody would call on that the Pacers would not be like yeah no it’s a non-starter for us it’s obviously tyres

Alberton Pascal sakam I would think Miles with where he’s at right now is probably in that conversation of not being touchable because they like the deal that he’s on and they they’re comfortable with the control they have over him so who else would somebody call about you’re not going to get rid of

Jarus Walker you don’t know what he is yet maybe a team says hey we’re willing to give you this this and this and we know that you’re at a Crossroads we getting close to a Crossroads with a guy like maybe Benedict Ma I don’t know I’m

Just I’ve looked at this from a couple different angles and some people have asked me like hey what is Benedict mn’s role on this team I still believe in him I still think he can be the robin to Tyrese Alberton Batman I really do I

Think he can be as good as what he was drafted to be but some are worried that maybe you’ve seen all that he is I think he deserves at least one more year to know that but maybe somebody calls and makes you an offer you can’t refuse on them I don’t

Know I would not be I wouldn’t do it to be clear I want that on the record I would not do it I love manag matters if I’m the Pacers the only calls I answer about those two or jerus are if it’s like hey male Bridges is actually available

Or something like that you know like it doesn’t it doesn’t make sense to just be like well we’re not sure what their value is to our team and we’re trying to be good now it’s like I get I get why you’d think that way but they’re still in this like this

Is still fascinating to me you know they just played a they just played a game fully healthy so now it’s possible to actually look at what they did in that game right Aaron n Smith Andrew neard Tyrese halber Benedict maaden Jaylen Smith Obby toppen all in the Pacers rotation against Charlotte that’s six

Players in their first four seasons right like they’re clearly trying to be good they’re still young and developing right like you can’t just like punt that away unless you’re getting like holy cow this team’s gonna like the Discord on mine and again I’m not one of them I

Believe that you need at least three seasons before you can properly make an assessment on a player in this league and even then sometimes people are wrong but the idea of after a season and a half of basketball to definitively know Benedict Maan is this I don’t think

That’s possible I don’t think even the Pacers know what he’s going to be yet I don’t understand how that line of thinking would even exist let’s talk about Ben Ma stats I was looking at this the other day so I’m ready his threo percentage is 5% higher this year than

It was last year his free throw percentage is higher his two point percentage is higher his rebounds per 36 is higher his assists per 36 is higher his steals much higher in the assists actually like 150% higher his steals per 36 are higher his blocks per 36 are

Higher his turnovers per 36 are lower and his scoring is point scoring for 36 is seven down he’s gotten a lot better how is this a guy that’s oh this is what he is what do you mean did you was catch and shoot by chance I can pull it up

It’s probably pretty dang good because that’s the like that’s the one area again I I can’t stress this enough this is not my take I feel like he is blossoming in front of our eyes to the point that by next year this is bullish but I was bullish on where I wanted the

Pacers this year my bar for the Pacers is six seat or better man that’s looking even better after this yakum trade let me tell you right now I wish I had a future on that kind of bet but I did not because I couldn’t find the market but for me Ben Maan next

Year the Leap Forward Tony you listen you got got a pen and paper down I’m right some between Danny Granger and Paul George Paul George got that Leap Forward his third year so did Danny Granger they both in their third season with the Pacers had massive leaps forward in the

NBA and that’s just two local examples all the time you see players their third year in the league in a system that’s when they have their big leap forward so the thought of jettisoning jettisoning mine before that happens I’m not on board for uh Maan is shooting

39.4% on catch and shoot threes this season that’s that’s pretty good yeah the only thing you can point to with him and this is something I talked about before the season is his free throw weight is down a lot and I said well that’s his big thing in his ticket to

Startup is that he gets line really well so that is certainly an interesting decrease how crazy is my third year take though for him that’s normal I mean I’m kind of a three years guy I the thing that I think is interesting about him is I have to like kind of redefine what

Context I view him through because now that one they’re trying to win like he’s been pretty good since the trade but before the seum trade a lot of the season was like okay what is the halberton mine pairing right like can that be a thing and now it’s like okay

That doesn’t matter as much right this second for the Pacers but it’s still important so all this to say uh I don’t think Ma and mhart are getting traded again I’m just saying if you’re a team looking Colin coward thing he’s so good at this on TV he’ll like make up a fake

Person’s argument be like I can hear you thinking right now that the Steelers would be better if they were starting this old quarterback but legitimately in terms of players that could be traded that are not Untouchables if you’re an opposing GM gatherin’s at the top of that list

Isn’t he sure I’m not saying the Pacers would do it I’m just saying if you’re a Pacers fan sitting there like oh what are they going to do well there’s not a ton for them to do but if they got an unbelievable offer yeah Mel Bridges if that happened absolutely sure you make

That move but that’s what it would take right it would I’m it’s not lost on me it would take something Monumental I don’t think they should do it anyway I think mad’s gonna be a great player in this league he’s gonna fit well in year three I’ve been clear on that just when

You look at their roster and movable assets there’s only so many attractive pieces that aren’t Untouchable what they should do is trade two expiring contracts and three first round picks for Pascal seaka and they did that that is done they might be done for the week standing Pat might make the

Most sense for the Pacers in fact of all the things that seem reasonable to me outside of finding a long-term salary that can fit into that buddy heeled slot I guess I think standing Pat makes maybe the most sense given where the Pacers are at and their long term thinking

They’re both trying to win and develop you got to keep your young guys to do that we’ll see what happens this week plenty more to talk about with the facers some more rumors came out on Monday none of them worth diving into very very quickly uh they play the

Rockets tonight also Jimmy do you have any thoughts on that game if the answer’s no the answer is no no it’s not I’m just I just got a push alert that said uh Maca smot was you know potentially being targeted by I’m just kidding that’s not real I just made it

Up to bother Tony yeah I like Jaylen green I’ve always liked Jaylen green he he was an Adidas kid when I did play-by-play stuff for uh Adidas Nationals and I always loved his game his growth has been fun to see Houston’s a mess though like they

They still don’t know what they are but Jaylen green is a high flyer he’s always fun to see play so that’s I think that I think houst to knows what they want to be but they are not that yet we’ll see um tomorrow though we’ll talk about Pacers Rockets potentially the last game

With the current iteration of the Pacers uh and then we’ll talk about those mini rumors from Monday one from Michael Scott one from the New York Post whose author is escaping Ryan Lewis I believe and then Wednesday and Thursday and probably Friday will be all trades all

The time and a little bit of Warriors mixed in there the Warriors are on a back toback coming into Indie Thursday that’s going to be super strange U so yes lots of fun coming here on lockon Pacers as is usually the case but it’s extra the case during trade atad L week

Why do you want to interrupt me while I’m doing my outro Jimmy because I have one more thing I wanted to say for the oh yes yes go any and all because he’s such a big fan of this any mock trade scenarios like the NBA trade machine at

Tony R East you see it in the bottom bottom corner there just send them to him he’ll he’ll get back to you in a timely manner but any of those no matter how ridiculous especially if there’s a lot of plus wins in that trade you send

That to him gotten some really good ones today so that is a thing trade machine is a bad invention every website wants one because it gets a lot of clicks and that’s true but it’s it’s a bad invention if it was the Tony East trade machine I’d use every

Day the Tony East trade machine you’d plug in the players you’d plug in the picks you’d click run it and then it would just pop up and say why would the blank do this whatever either team name is Jimmy Cook tell you to do this did he

Put you up to this produ like is this legal or not it would just say why would why would they do this stop listening to coward that’s what it’s saying oh hey calling coward is is very entertaining um so yes lots of fun stuff to come and if you enjoyed

Today’s Show I’m on Twitter at Tony R East if you did not enjoy today’s show I’m on Twitter at DJ cook uh show is lockon Pacer see I can do the the Twitter handle jokes as well tomorrow just me Thursday probably someone else we’ll see who it’s going to be Jimmy

Thank you for the time I just said where people can file their complaints but where can people F you and what you have to say not only about the Indiana Pacers but also the Colts the college teams in Indiana I have to generally say them because I can’t talk about my favorite

One right now unfortunately it’s very sad uh and many other things regarding Indiana Sports yeah of course uh I’ve said it a couple times during the show but noon to three weekdays Monday through Friday query and Company co-hosting with Jake query our producer Eddie Garrison we all have a great time

We hope you’ll join us and be a part of the company has as much fun as well uh Tony’s right the our team that shall not be named is not doing well collegiately uh my favorite football team for those who listen the Chiefs they’re doing pretty good Super Bowl week so that’s

Great and then next week it’s the countdown to all-star weekend I’ve been waiting my whole life to have this event in my city again for both Tony and I like we weren’t around when the when 85 happened so to have the mecca of the NBA here it’s going to be spectacular and I

Don’t care if you can only go to the convention center if you can’t go to any of the actual game or stuff like that be a part of this thing if you’re a basketball fan if you’re a Pacers fan because it’s gonna be awesome and of

Course I’m sure Tony’s gonna have a ton of great content as well right here on locked on Pacers in the countdown to that be sure to check that out too locked on Pacers will be in the building for Allstar very exciting I am so excited and then I never have to think

About to the all-star game ever again in my whole life it will never be here again I’m really looking forward to it Jimmy this was great thank you for the time on the should the Pacer stand Pat question mark show that I think is very important for context and discussion

Purposes but fans are like stand Pat gross uh plenty more to talk about trade deadline week check out any other lockdown podcast show if there’s a trade made you can hear about all the angles locally here thank you all for listening have a wonderful day and we’ll see you soon

The Indiana Pacers are two days away from the NBA Trade Deadline. After making the Pascal Siakam trade in January, is the Pacers best course of action standing pat? Host Tony East is joined by Jimmy Cook from 107.5 The Fan to break it down by looking at the biggest storylines for the Pacers at the deadline.

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOPacers?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

📲 Follow Locked On Pacers on Twitter
Locked On Pacers https://twitter.com/lockedonpacers
Tony East https://twitter.com/TonyREast

#Pacers #IndianaPacers #NBA #PacersPodcast #IndianaPacersPodcast #TyreseHaliburton #BennedictMathurin #MylesTurner #PascalSiakam
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Nissan

Our friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV’s with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA. Terms and conditions apply.

eBay Motors

For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.

BetterHelp

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.

PrizePicks

Go to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100!

Gametime

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.

FanDuel

Make Every Moment More. Right now, NEW customers get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS if your best bet of FIVE DOLLARS or more wins. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)