Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers
Oladipo’s name has been mentioned a lot in trade rumors this offseason and while both he and the Pacers shot down any speculation of Oladipo being on the move, Indiana did not get a contract extension in place to keep him long-term. Whether or not this is because they want to monitor the former All-Star’s injury situation and make sure he can still play at a high-level, Oladipo’s future in Indiana is very much up-in-the-air.
In the last three seasons, Victor Oladipo has played in just 130 games and has averaged 20.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and shot 45.3% from the floor. In his first two seasons with the Pacers, Oladipo was a NBA All-Star, but those days seem to be far in the distance now as two major leg injuries have hurt Oladipo’s chances of playing over the years.
It is no secret that the Pacers are a team that could look to make a significant move at this upcoming season’s NBA trade deadline. After not making a big move this offseason via trade or in free agency, the Indiana Pacers front office looks like they are going to give this current roster one more chance to prove themselves and evaluate Oladipo early on in the year before making a decision about his future.
Being a former All-Star talent, Victor Oladipo will definitely have some trade interest, but the Pacers may not receive the asking price they want for him. Coming off two big leg injuries, there are a lot of questions about his future in the NBA and if he can even still be an effective player.
Indiana may very well end up holding onto Oladipo until the last few minutes of the trade deadline, especially if he is able to come back this year and play at a high-level. If this is the case, his value will go up and plenty of championship contending teams would be interested in the 28-year old guard.
The Celtics, Mavericks, Hornets, Nuggets and Knicks are just a few teams that come to mind that could show some interest in Oladipo, but everything depends on the Indiana Pacers. If they decide it is in their best interest to move-on from Victor Oladipo, then he will be traded this season, but if not, expect to see the Pacers and Oladipo try to reach an agreement on a contract extension next offseason.
