The Painfully Obvious Solution: Why Oso Ighodaro is the Perfect Fit for the Indiana Pacers’ Center Conundrum

 

The Indiana Pacers, in the aftermath of their stunning, deep playoff run, are now faced with the sobering reality of a franchise in flux. The joyous departure of the beloved Myles Turner to the rival Milwaukee Bucks in free agency, while a testament to his value, left a gaping hole at the center position. The team is now left with a patchwork of big men, and with the devastating, season-ending Achilles injury to star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers have a new mandate: to find a long-term solution at center and retool for the future. The answer, a painfully obvious one, lies in a call to the Phoenix Suns. The perfect buy-low trade candidate to address the Pacers’ needs is Suns big man Oso Ighodaro.

On the surface, Ighodaro’s rookie season stats are not much to write home about. In 60 games and 17.1 minutes per contest, he averaged 4.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. These are hardly the numbers of a future star. But a deeper dive into his game reveals a player with a uniquely high basketball IQ and a skillset that is a near-perfect fit for the Pacers’ system. Ighodaro’s intelligence on the court is his greatest asset. He is a fantastic screener, a skilled handoff man, and a player who, in his limited minutes, has shown an ability to make the right play and contribute in every aspect of the game. He is a modern-day big man who understands spacing, movement, and the nuances of a high-octane offense.

The reason he is a “buy-low” candidate is not a reflection of his talent but of his situation. The Phoenix Suns, in a radical retooling of their own, have a crowded frontcourt that makes it all but impossible for Ighodaro to get consistent minutes. The Suns have recently traded for Mark Williams, a rim-protecting and rebounding specialist, who is expected to be the team’s presumptive starter. They also drafted Khaman Maluach, a highly-touted prospect, and have a solid veteran in Nick Richards on the depth chart. For Ighodaro, a player who needs consistent minutes and an opportunity to develop, the Suns are a dead end. His growth will be stunted, his potential untapped, and his future with the team will be one of perpetual bench-warming. The Suns, in their best interest, should be looking to trade him to a team where he can thrive and where they can recoup some assets.

The Indiana Pacers are that team. With Myles Turner gone and a committee of Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson, James Wiseman, and Tony Bradley manning the center position, the Pacers are in desperate need of a stable, long-term solution. While all four of their current big men have flashes of brilliance, none of them are a perfect fit for the team’s style of play. They are a collection of role players, not a definitive solution. Ighodaro, with his high basketball IQ and passing ability, is the ideal complement to the Pacers’ ball-movement-heavy offense. With a healthy Tyrese Haliburton (once he returns from his injury), Ighodaro would form a dynamic duo in the pick-and-roll, a combination that would be “filthy,” as one draft analyst put it. His ability to set screens, re-screen, and make the right read would be a boon for Haliburton’s playmaking. Even in Haliburton’s absence, Ighodaro’s presence would give the Pacers’ offense a new dimension and a much-needed playmaker in the frontcourt.

A trade for Ighodaro would also be a perfect fit for the Pacers’ new philosophy of player development. They have a proven track record of taking young, undervalued players and helping them blossom into key contributors. The organization’s commitment to player growth is a major reason why many young players want to come to Indiana. They have a patient front office and a coaching staff that is known for its ability to teach and develop talent. Ighodaro, a high-character player with an excellent work ethic, would be the perfect project for them. They could give him the consistent minutes he needs to develop, and in return, they would get a player with a very high ceiling.

The financial aspect of this trade is also a perfect fit. Ighodaro, a second-round pick, is on a team-friendly contract that the Pacers could easily absorb. The price to acquire him would be minimal, likely a pair of second-round picks. For the Pacers, who are looking to retool and build for the future, this is the kind of low-risk, high-reward move that could pay massive dividends down the line. It would give them a potential long-term starter at a position of need without having to give up a key player or a significant draft asset.

The Pacers’ decision to part with Myles Turner was a clear signal of their commitment to building around a new core of players. Ighodaro is the kind of player who fits that vision. He is young, has a ton of potential, and his skillset is a perfect complement to the team’s star players. While the Pacers have a center-by-committee approach for the upcoming season, acquiring Ighodaro would be the first step in addressing a long-term need. It’s a move that would not only make the team better now but also give them a piece to build around for the future. The Pacers have a problem at center, and the solution is sitting on a crowded bench in Phoenix. All they have to do is make the call.