Pacers Could Make Bold Moves to Dodge Luxury Tax Penalties

The Indiana Pacers are set to pay into the luxury tax for the first time in 20 years if they re-sign Myles Turner this summer. According to Shams Charania, that's what the organization is looking to do.

Turner's skills are extremely valuable to the way that the Pacers play basketball. They want to keep him, and paying into the luxury tax is the most likely way to get them to do that.

There are some other way to keep the Pacers out of the luxury tax while they are still able to re-sign Turner to a fair deal. though.

If the Pacers are really adverse to paying into the luxury tax, they could look to trade Obi Toppin and Bennedict Mathurin. That would likely keep them under the tax.

However, that would lessen their depth in a significant way. Their bench is a big reason why they are playing in the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years, so that might not be the way to go.

Mathurin is someone that the Pacers could make a decision on this summer. He's due for an extension, but hasn't played well in the playoffs. The moment looks too big for him.

He is one of the few players that hasn't done a good job in the playoffs despite how strong of a regular season he had. Jarace Walker has shown higher flashes when he's been on the court.

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Indiana wants to keep Toppin. He has show that his offense is too valuable off the bench, even if his defense remains suspect. Mathurin hasn't grown as a playmaker enough to be considered un-tradable.

The most likely scenario is that the Pacers just pay the luxury tax and keep this group intact next season. It's a group that has already proven they are good enough to win the Eastern Conference.

Indiana is good enough to make a move to trade one of their bench guys, but they still need to have a defined plan if that's what they wan to do. Turner is still likely headed back to Indiana next year, regardless.

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