All 76ers

Pacers Agree to Trade Ahead of Philadelphia 76ers Matchup

The Indiana Pacers reportedly made a deal in Philadelphia.
Justin Grasso|
Nov 30, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) shoots the basketball over Miami Heat center Thomas Bryant (31) during the third quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) shoots the basketball over Miami Heat center Thomas Bryant (31) during the third quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

In this story:

Indiana PacersPhiladelphia 76ersMiami Heat

As the Philadelphia 76ers gear up for their Friday night matchup against the Indiana Pacers, their opponent’s front office reportedly struck a deal to acquire a new player.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Pacers are acquiring Miami Heat center Thomas Bryant. The Heat will reportedly land a future second-round pick in return.

Once Bryant becomes eligible for a trade over the weekend, the Pacers and the Heat can finalize the deal.

This season, the Pacers found themselves in a tough spot as multiple centers on their roster went down with injuries. Recently, it became clear that Indiana has been on the hunt for a veteran big man to add depth to the five-spot behind the thriving Myles Turner.

Last season, Bryant played 38 games for the Heat. He averaged six points and four rebounds on 58 percent shooting from the field.

This year, Bryant came off the bench for ten games. He’s been producing four points and three rebounds for Miami in roughly 12 minutes of action per game.

After beating out expectations in the Eastern Conference last season by making a run to the conference finals, the Pacers have been one of the league’s most disappointing squads in 2024-2025.

Through their first 25 games, the Pacers have gone 10-15. A lot of their struggles have happened on the road, where they are 3-11. Over their last ten games, the Pacers have just four wins.

Bryant would be helpful against a team like Philadelphia, but the Pacers remain thin at the center position for their game in Philly on Friday.

When the Sixers and the Pacers met back in October, Philly lacked the presence of two of their All-Stars, Joel Embiid and Paul George, due to injuries. Still, a Tyrese Maxey-led Sixers team pulled off a 118-114 win in Indiana.

On Friday, Embiid and George are back in the mix. The Pacers and the Sixers will tip off at 7 PM ET.

Published
Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

Share on XFollow @JGrasso_
Home/News