How the Pacers Can Upgrade at Backup Center via Trade

The Indiana Pacers made it abundantly clear that center was their biggest area of weakness when they traded the haul they did for Ivica Zubac.

Now that they have their long-term center in place, they have to determine whether Jay Huff or Micah Potter are capable of handling backup minutes, specifically for a team hoping to make a deep playoff run and compete for a championship.

The one thing Huff and Potter have working in their favor is that they are both on minimum contracts, which makes them easier to fit into Indiana’s financial plans. But not every decision should be based strictly on finances when you’re trying to contend for a title.

Today, I’m going to go through three names the Pacers could trade for if they want to land a better backup five than the Huff-Potter combination.

Player One (Likely)

He did not make my Top 10 Trade Targets list, but I’m including him in this exercise: Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Last season, Indiana was linked to Missi multiple times while searching for a center to replace Myles Turner. With the emergence of Derik Queen as the Pelicans’ starting center, Missi found himself coming off the bench and appeared more expendable.

After the NBA Trade Deadline passed, Missi remained with New Orleans and no deal materialized.

Missi was the 21st overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, so he is still on a rookie-scale contract, making him extremely affordable and someone who would not put the Pacers into a financial bind.

Missi just turned 22 years old on May 14, which helps address Indiana’s lack of youth at the center position. He also has two years remaining on his rookie contract, aligning perfectly with the timeline of this roster as the Pacers try to contend right now.

Missi is an efficient scorer, shooting 54.4% from the field, but he offers no floor spacing. He is a strong rim protector, averaging 1.5 blocks per game last season, and would essentially give Indiana an Isaiah Jackson replacement — before Jackson’s Achilles injury — as a young, athletic big man.

The Deal

Indiana receives
-Yves Missi

New Orleans receives
-Jay Huff
-2027 first-round pick (top-14 protected)

This deal gives the Pelicans a center who can stretch the floor, which is something Missi cannot currently do, and blocks shots. Indiana also includes a lottery-protected first-round pick to entice New Orleans to make the deal. The first-round pick turns into two second-round picks if it doesn't convey.

Indiana would then use Micah Potter as its third-string center, giving the Pacers a legitimate stretch big thanks to Potter’s 43% three-point shooting last season while also making the overall center depth more versatile.

Player Two (Somewhat Likely)

This player was the first center linked to the Pacers last year while Indiana searched for a Myles Turner replacement, and his name remained attached to them throughout the entire rumor cycle. That player is six-year veteran Daniel Gafford, who will turn 28 before the start of next season.

Gafford signed a three-year, $54.3 million extension with the Dallas Mavericks last July. After starting 44 of 55 games last season, it appears Gafford could remain Dallas’ starting center moving forward, although the Mavericks may eventually return to Dereck Lively II once he is healthy and fully fits the timeline of the new core built around Cooper Flagg.

Before last season, Gafford spent three straight years averaging double figures in scoring and roughly seven to eight rebounds per game.

Shot blocking is also one of Gafford’s biggest strengths, as he has averaged 1.5 blocks per game over the last three seasons in Dallas. His efficiency is elite as well, shooting 65.5% from the field last season and 70% the year before.

Indiana would have to part ways with a young piece and a future draft pick to pry Gafford away from Dallas, but he would fit perfectly as a backup center behind Ivica Zubac in Indiana’s system.

Gafford is a better player than Yves Missi, but he is also significantly more expensive. If Indiana values adding another quality big man to pair with Zubac, Huff, Potter, and occasional Obi Toppin small-ball lineups, then this is the type of player it should target.

The Deal

Indiana receives
-Daniel Gafford
-2026 30th overall pick

Dallas receives
-Jarace Walker
-Jay Huff
-2031 first-round pick (top-eight protected)
-2028 second-round pick

The Pacers would take back roughly $6.1 million in additional salary in this trade, eating into much of the available space between the luxury tax and the first apron. However, Indiana would also acquire the 30th overall pick, which could either be used on a rookie or flipped for future assets.

Dallas would receive a rotational center in Huff, a 22-year-old wing in Jarace Walker, and a future first-round pick to help the organization long term.

This was the same future first-round pick Indiana was reportedly willing to move for Zubac, and getting another first-rounder back helps balance the trade from the Pacers’ perspective. However, Indiana is also surrendering the most value in this proposal because it is acquiring the best player.

One major reason Indiana may hesitate on a trade like this is the financial commitment. While Gafford is clearly a fit stylistically, the Pacers may decide that money would be better spent on a score-first player instead.

Player Three (Unlikely)

Closing out the list is the big man I’ve been keeping tabs on since the last trade cycle: Santi Aldama of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Memphis owns the third and 16th picks in this year’s NBA Draft and appears to be entering a full rebuild, with a potential Ja Morant trade looming this offseason.

If the draft follows consensus projections, there is a strong chance Memphis selects either Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson, which could create more of an opening for Aldama to become available.

Aldama is 25 years old, stands 7 feet tall, and has the ability to stretch the floor, attack closeouts, and facilitate as a secondary playmaker.

Defensively, he struggles when switched onto quicker guards and wings, but he still functions as a solid team defender capable of protecting the rim when needed.

The Deal

Indiana receives
-Santi Aldama
-2029 first-round pick (top-14 protected via Orlando)
-No. 32 overall pick in this year’s draft

Memphis receives
-Jarace Walker
-Micah Potter
-2031 first-round pick
-2029 second-round pick
-2033 second-round pick

This deal makes sense for Indiana because the Pacers would add a more versatile backup big capable of playing either power forward or center. They would also reacquire a second-round pick in the same range where they previously drafted Andrew Nembhard, an area where Indiana has consistently found rotational talent. In addition, the Pacers would get back into the 2029 first round after trading their own pick to the Clippers.

Memphis would make this move because it is entering a rebuild. The Grizzlies already own multiple first-round picks in this year’s draft, so moving the No. 32 overall selection would not hurt them much. They would also get an opportunity to further develop Jarace Walker before he reaches restricted free agency in 2027.

This is a complicated deal, but one that could make sense for both sides. Indiana improves immediately while still avoiding a complete mortgage of its future assets.

I think there is a world where this trade framework could work if both teams removed the first-round picks and simply negotiated around second-round compensation instead, but I also know Memphis values Aldama highly.

Overall, Aldama would add a tremendous amount of versatility to Indiana’s center depth and would reunite with former teammate Jay Huff, who remains on the roster in this scenario. However, I view this target as the least unlikely to happen because the price tag might be too high for Indiana, and he fills a position of want more than need.

Final Thoughts

Missi Aldama — Nov 29, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) shoots as Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) defends during the third quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Trading for Missi is the cleanest of the three proposed deals and probably the one that makes the most sense. Huff was included in my proposal, but realistically it could be any Pacers player in that same salary range. Missi is young, fits the timeline, and still has plenty of room to develop.

Gafford is someone I genuinely believe in as a player, and I love that his contract is locked in over the next three years. Even if Indiana eventually wanted to move off him, his salary would still be valuable in a future trade package. His skill set fits perfectly with the Pacers’ style of play, and he brings an infectious joy to the game.

Aldama is a personal trade favorite of mine because of how much he can replicate some of what Myles Turner brought offensively. He is better at attacking closeouts and more skilled as both a passer and ball-handler, although he does not possess the same defensive impact Turner provided.

All three players would represent upgrades over the current Huff-Potter combination, but Missi may ultimately be the only one worth the asking price.

You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.

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