The Indiana Pacers made a big splash this week, acquiring Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. As such, their starting frontcourt is now loaded with talent between Siakam and Myles Turner.
From there, the bench depth at those positions is also very good. Indiana boasts Obi Toppin, Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson and Jarace Walker as reserve frontcourt players.
Given Toppin is a starting-caliber forward coming off the bench and the Pacers just used the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft on Walker, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if Jackson and Smith end up not being a focal point of the long-term plans.
With the expectation that Indiana isn’t done making moves and wants to compete now, could the Pacers be open to trading someone like Smith for a player of a different position, or even draft capital to make a secondary move to bolster the roster?
If so, the Oklahoma City Thunder should jump on the opportunity. Making just $5 million this season with a player option for roughly $5.4 million next season, moving Smith now could be a smart move for the Pacers. The Thunder could bring him in to see how he fits in their system and worry about the contract situation later on. He’s still just 23 years old and has a skillset OKC could use.
Smith is averaging 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 46.9% from beyond the arc. His rebounding and floor spacing at the forward position would be of extreme value to the Thunder. He’s also 6-foot-10 with a strong frame and could play next to — or even behind — Chet Holmgren.
For a variety of reasons, the Thunder should be interested in Jalen Smith. It just comes down to whether or not the Pacers find redundancy in their frontcourt rotation and what his price would be.
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