The Indiana Pacers were one of the more active teams around this season’s NBA trade deadline. The team shipped out its best player in Domantas Sabonis, in addition to a pair of other deals that shook up the roster.
Change was probably a bit overdue for the struggling Pacers. Indiana has finally picked a direction after years of speculation about the fit between Sabonis and Myles Turner.
It’s tank season in Indiana right now, and sportsbooks have taken notice of the team’s recent moves.
Indiana Pacers trade deadline moves
Hoosiers have all sorts of Pacers wagers to pick from thanks to Indiana sports betting.
You can’t bet on player trades in Indiana, but Pacers fans can at least gather some excitement for the team’s trades.
There’s a lot to look forward to in the future. The team should be securing a top draft pick this season to add next to promising young talents like Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte and Myles Turner.
Pacers Owner Herb Simon prefers a retool rather than a rebuild, and the team seems to be working towards that hybrid of staying somewhat competitive while building for the future.
Here’s a quick recap of every move the Indiana Pacers made near the NBA trade deadline:
| Pacers Trade | Trade Partner | Pacers Receive |
|---|---|---|
| Caris LeVert | Cleveland Cavaliers | Ricky Rubio, 2022 first-round pick (lottery protected), 2022 second-round pick (via Rockets), 2027 second-round pick (via Jazz) |
| Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday | Sacramento Kings | Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Tristan Thompson |
| Torrey Craig | Phoenix Suns | Jalen Smith, future second-round pick |
Zach Pearson, a Pacers expert for 8 Points 9 Seconds, spoke with PlayIndiana about the team’s recent moves. Pearson believes that hitting the reset button could address some of the fan angst that’s been building in recent years.
“The Pacers were able to switch up their core group of players to help build a new team, which fans have wanted for multiple seasons now,” Pearson said.
More trades could be coming this summer, but the Pacers will need to sit on its hands for now. Guys like Malcolm Brogdon, T.J. Warren, Tristan Thompson and Buddy Hield could be on the move depending on the team’s goals this offseason.
Lastest Pacers betting odds
The Pacers are scraping the bottom of the barrel in the Eastern Conference, and that’s a position the team will likely try to stay in for a better draft pick.
Betting on Pacers games has been a fun option for fans this season, but the same can’t be said about the team’s futures odds. Injuries turned a playoff-hopeful season into a trainwreck, and Indiana online sportsbooks don’t exactly have confidence in the team this season.
The team’s odds to win their division are terminally low, much less the outlook for Indiana to win the conference or championship.
Those odds took a slight hit from the team’s trade deadline moves, but that’s to be expected. After all, trading away your best player doesn’t usually bode well for your short-term chances at winning.
Futures betting options coming soon
The odds are looking bleak for now, but some fun futures options are right around the corner.
Sportsbooks will release betting odds on the NBA Draft in a few months. When they do, the Indiana Pacers will be right in the mix.
The 2022 draft will be an interesting one for Pacers fans since the team has two first-round picks. The extra pick came to Indiana as part of the LeVert trade.
Despite also landing veteran point guard Ricky Rubio in that trade, Pearson doesn’t believe that fans will ever see him in the blue and gold.
“Rubio likely won’t play for the Pacers ever, but he was a required trade piece to match salary with LeVert. This trade gives the Pacers two first-round picks this season. One pick being their own lottery pick and the second from Cleveland that will likely land in the 20s.”
Hoosiers will be able to bet on Indiana’s chance at winning the first overall pick during the NBA draft lottery. Once that’s all settled, betting on which players the Pacers will take with their picks will join the list of sportsbook options.
The team could use its extra draft pick in another trade this summer, or they could hold onto it to pick up more young talent. It’ll be easier to pin down Indiana’s strategy once the offseason begins.
As far as betting options go, the current futures choices aren’t really worth your time. Despite that, betting on the Pacers can still be a worthwhile option if you’re looking at individual games.
It’s just a matter of time until NBA Draft betting comes along to spice things up. This may be a lost season for the Pacers, but fans have plenty to look forward to in the future.
