While the Pacers are unlikely to make a major move, they are not going into the 2020 NBA trade deadline quietly. The team is sniffing around to see if there is a trade for T.J. Leaf, sources tell J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star.
Leaf was selected with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2017 draft. He’s never really carved out a consistent role with the club, given the presence of Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner on the roster. Now, the Pacers could look to trade him for a true stretch four, per Michael, though they are not expecting a major asset in return.
Leaf, who has appeared in 22 games for Indiana this season, is shooting 35.7% from three, though he’s only taken 14 attempts this season.
Minutes should be even tighter now with coach Nate McMillan and the Pacers medical staff increasing the minutes limit for Victor Oladipo, who returned from a gruesome leg injury just three games ago. The star will be capped at 28 minutes now instead of 24, writes Mark Montieth of Pacers.com.
Indiana had initially planned to re-evaluate Oladipo’s minutes restriction at the All-Star break, but is hoping that loosening that restriction will help him find a rhythm and break out of his shooting slump.
“We need to get him to that workload he needs to put on his knee,” head coach Nate McMillan said.
Pacers don’t have any draft picks this summer or cap space. Justin Holiday is their only free agent they’d want to keep. Turner doesn’t play well with Sabonis. Turner for Marcus Morris would be a perfect trade.
Morris, a 30 year old expiring for a 23 year old Turner signed for the next 3 seasons. It’s funny people think this is a fair trade somehow.
Keep Turner he’s a solid floor spacer and rim protecter. Morris is old an on a 1 year deal.
TJ Leaf for Harry Giles
If you can get Giles fit and in the right mind place you win huge…
I’ve always felt bad for TJ Leaf. He has shown flashes of being pretty good offensively, but landed in a bad situation in Indy. Had Turner in front of him initially, they traded for Sabonis about a month after drafting him, and McMillan is a coach who doesn’t trust young guys much. Toss in some spraining his ankle on opening night last year, and you have a guy who hasn’t developed as well as he should have.
Hopefully, the Pacers can work out a trade to a place he can get some playing time.