Report: Indiana Pacers closely monitoring Charlotte Hornets forward Jalen McDaniels
According to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Indiana Pacers are one of a few teams "closely monitoring" Charlotte Hornets forward Jalen McDaniels ahead of the February 9 trade deadline.
McDaniels, who turned 25 yesterday, was drafted by the Hornets late in the second round of 2019. He has spent his entire four-year career in Buzz City, and he has averaged 7.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game during his career.
Charania reported that beyond the Pacers, the Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and San Antonio Spurs are also monitoring McDaniels. Both Yahoo Sports and HoopsHype reported that various teams have interest in the six-foot-nine forward.
McDaniels is a respectable three-point shooter and a mobile defender. Charlotte is over four points per 100 possessions better with the Washington native on the court this season. He is a useful role player.
The Pacers need a piece like that, especially at McDaniels' size and position. The tricky part, though, is that McDaniels' contract expires at the end of this season, and he will become an unrestricted free agent at that time. He could then sign with any team, so it's risky to give up significant assets for the 25-year old. He could be a rental.
Plus, the Pacers have significant cap space coming their way in the offseason. If they want McDaniels, they could wait until the summer and sign him outright should the two parties come to an agreement. While McDaniels would help Indiana this season, there is little reason for the Pacers to trade much for him.
Because McDaniels' contract is a minimum-salary deal, constructing a trade is fairly simple. At the right price, this could make sense for the Pacers, but it's risky without the guaranteed chance to keep the young forward in the summer.
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