Charlotte Hornets Receive: C Myles Turner
Indiana Pacers Receive: F Kelly Oubre Jr., C Vernon Carey Jr., 2022 First Round Pick (via NOP – Lottery Protected), 2023 First Round Pick Swap
Myles Turner would be the centerpiece of this trade and immediately give the Charlotte Hornets some hope down low. He has some team control left and would fit into what the Hornets like to do.
The Hornets have shown repeatedly that improving defensively is necessary before they can take a major step forward in the Eastern Conference. Adding the NBA’s reigning shot-blocking leader would be a helpful way to move in the right direction.
This seems like a no-brainer if Indiana truly wants to break up their two-center tandem. Domantas Sabonis has earned two All-Star nods and is viewed as the franchise cornerstone.
The Hornets would send Kelly Oubre Jr. to the Pacers as the main piece of the deal. He is a versatile forward that would bring needed athleticism alongside Sabonis. It wouldn’t be a perfect fit by any stretch, but regardless, is a stopgap option as TJ Warren remains sidelined.
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The Pacers could look to flip Oubre Jr. in a separate trade at a later time if they desired. It would be wise to have another athletic forward, though, given the persistent nature of Warren’s injuries.
The draft compensation in this particular scenario is not as intriguing as it may appear on the surface. With the lottery protection on the 2022 first-round pick, if it does not convey, the Pacers would get a pair of second-round picks. Meanwhile, a pick swap between two playoff hopefulls isn’t much movement.
Let’s take a closer look and see how this NBA trade scenario centered around Myles Turner would impact the Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers.