The Denver Nuggets’ financial squeeze could open a door for the Indiana Pacers, even if Indiana isn’t the team that lands the headline names.
Denver is the only team in the second apron this year after matching Spencer Jones’ two-year, $12 million offer sheet. That move alone has pushed the Nuggets’ luxury tax bill from $36 million to $68 million, adding nearly $30 million to the payment for a contract worth $6 million annually.
And that’s before getting to restricted free agent Peyton Watson, who is reportedly seeking a deal similar to Christian Braun’s five-year, $125 million agreement.
Put together, it leaves Denver in a brutal spot: expensive, not especially good, and desperate to find help as Nikola Jokic moves deeper into the prime years of his career. For Indiana, that creates a simple mandate - find a way to benefit from a team that has to move money.
Front offices usually live by two rules: never get desperate, and always take advantage of teams that are. The source of the idea is familiar enough. When the LA Clippers first landed Ivica Zubac for Mike Muscala, it came because Magic Johnson badly wanted a stretch four next to LeBron James.
That’s the kind of imbalance that can produce value.
Denver is expected to explore plenty of cost-cutting moves, with Aaron Gordon and/or Cam Johnson among the names mentioned as possible trade candidates. The Nuggets would also love to move Braun’s deal. But even if those players are available, Indiana doesn’t have much room to chase anyone making more than $15 million a year.
That’s where the Pacers’ best path may come in as a third team.
Indiana does have some assets to work with: two tradeable first-round picks, a pile of second-rounders, and a few movable mid-level contracts. Jarace Walker is one option, though he’s at the point where he needs to prove himself or risk being moved. The same goes for veteran pieces like TJ McConnell or Obi Toppin, even if neither is expected to go anywhere because the Pacers’ bench already needs help.
If Denver looks to build a return from a guard-needy Charlotte Hornets package for Jamal Murray, Indiana could step in and come away with someone like Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O'Neale, giving the Pacers more real 3-and-D depth behind their starters.
There’s also a more aggressive lane if Denver tries to swing big and bring in Zion Williamson, which could send Aaron Gordon to New Orleans or another destination. In that kind of deal, Indiana could try to land Herb Jones or another useful forward from that roster.
And then there’s the pure cap-dump angle. If the Nuggets are willing to attach real pick equity just to move Zeke Nnaji’s contract, Indiana could use that desperation to grab a pick swap or even a future first-rounder - one that lands after Nikola Jokic’s presumed playing days are over.
With the East turning into the bloodbath it is, the Pacers may need every edge they can find. The smart play isn’t chasing the biggest name. It’s squeezing value out of front offices that are slowly cornering themselves.
In Other News...
Pacers GM Just Addressed The Biggest Ivica Zubac Fit Question
Ivica Zubacs arrival at the NBA trade deadline gave the Pacers a different kind of center than the one they had before, and that was always going to raise the biggest fit question. General manager Chad Buchanan said the veteran big man has settled in smoothly, bringing the kind of experience and unselfish approach the organization values, while also acknowledging that Zubac does not play the same way Myles Turner did.
What Indiana believes it is getting instead is a more old-school interior presence who can help in the areas that matter around the margins of a game. Buchanan pointed to Zubacs rebounding, defense, screening and passing as traits that can offset his lack of three-point shooting, and the Pacers are now trying to see how those strengths translate in Rick Carlisles system as the team works through the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Pacers Fans Are Buzzing Over A Long Awaited Uniform Rumor
With Tyrese Haliburton set to be back in the mix and new faces like Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre Jr. added to the rotation, the Pacers are heading toward the 2026-27 season with plenty of attention on the court. But some of the buzz around Indiana right now has nothing to do with scheme or seeding, and everything to do with a possible throwback look that would tap straight into one of the franchises most recognizable eras.
The chatter centers on a return of the gold pinstripe uniforms from the Reggie Miller years, a style that still carries real weight with Pacers fans whenever it comes up. The rumor has not been confirmed, though it picked up steam after a post shared by Polymarket Hoops that traced back to Sneaker Market RO, giving supporters another reason to keep an eye on what Indiana unveils before the new season begins. [Read more 🡒]