The Indiana Pacers recently made a new head coach hire and there is no shortage of optimism surrounding the team. However, the organization still needs to reach a resolution with Victor Oladipo on his need for a contract extension at some point.
According to the NBA staff at The Athletic, an anonymous NBA agent expressed how the Indiana Pacers are probably trying to trade Victor Oladipo. Both sides appear primed to face a disconnect in contract talks with the two-time All-Star wanting big money.
“They’re probably trying to move Oladipo. I think he’s in a tough situation because he’s not a superstar, but this is his fourth team and there are questions about his ability to return to form. But I think in his mind, he thinks he is that superstar. But I think he’s in for a jolt. Because no one is going to pay him near what he would want. And he turned down the extension that they offered him before that he didn’t like.
If he had been healthy and helped his team advance to the second or third round, it would have been helpful, but they didn’t have a chance. It was a double negative.”
The Pacers already have plenty of salary cap spending allocated to Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and also T.J. Warren, to a lesser extent. If they do decide to move a key player in the offseason, Oladipo could be a simple one considering his expiring deal.
There is a real case to be made for an NBA contender to push to trade for Victor Oladipo when considering the circumstances. His expiring deal minimizes long-term risk and he still has the potential to tap into some of his pre-injury form with extensive time off.
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