INDIANAPOLIS — The Pacers are reportedly considering a drastic rebuild, which means some of their best players could become available as the NBA’s trade market develops this winter.
It is possible that the value of the combined trade was not affected in Wednesday’s win over the Knicks.
The Post reported that the Knicks had an interest in Indiana versatile center Miles Turner, who leads the NBA with 2.8 blocked shots per game after finishing first in the league in that category last season.
Turner, former Nets goalkeeper Karis Levert, big man Domantas Sabonis and goalkeeper Malcolm Brogdan each scored between 15 and 22 points against the Knicks. That quartet met on Tuesday with Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, according to a report in the Indianapolis Star. A source told the newspaper that Indiana was still “trying to win…but that doesn’t mean deals can’t happen.”
Had the meeting with Carlisle after Another report Tuesday in The Athletic He stated that Pacers are “going toward a rebuilding” and “receptive” to business discussions centered around Levert and “either” Turner or Sabonis.
Evan Fournier scored just seven points and hasn’t played in the fourth quarter in each of the past two games. He said he believed he contracted food poisoning prior to Tuesday’s win over Tottenham.
“I was doing better before the two games, and I had a bad steak in San Antonio,” said Fournier. “Fight me, I got food poisoning. You must get it right [Thursday]Day off, I thought I was playing better and better to be honest, it’s a shame, because the steak was so good. The next day you spoiled me.”
After starting one game, Nerlence Noel was sidelined again, this time with lower back pain. He was replaced in the starting line-up by Gibson’s crown as Mitchell Robinson played 19 minutes on the bench despite landing on his tailbone in a hard crash on the ground in Tuesday’s game.
“You trust the players, you trust the medical staff, and when they tell you that someone can’t go, they can’t go,” said Tom Tibodo. “The next guy gets in there and gets the job done. We know Taj is always ready, and I’m happy with the way Jericho is doing, and Mitch gets out there and gives her what he has.”
“Prone to fits of apathy. Introvert. Award-winning internet evangelist. Extreme beer expert.”