The Indiana Pacers are looking to trade Roy Hibbert and the team could find a potential destination in the Portland Trail Blazers, while Indy is also looking at a Goran Dragic deal with the Phoenix Suns and that could be the first move in a three-team trade involving Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics down the line.
The Pacers are looking to make some changes after losing again to the Miami Heat in the playoffs and Roy Hibbert could be in the middle of those moves. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the team is looking to sign Lance Stephenson at the right price and the Pacers are quiet "shopping: Hibbert this offseason in deals and this comes as the team is interested in acquiring Goran Dragic from the Phoenix Suns. Pro Basketball Talk also reports that the Pacers are looking at Dragic as a potential point guard solution and ESPN reporter Marc Stein writes that a Dragic move could be the first in an attempt to get Rajon Rondo.
The Pacers have wanted to upgrade at the point guard position for some time and last season Rondo was mentioned on the fringes of interest from Indiana and now that could move to the next stage. Stein writes that the Pacers have looked into Dragic since the Stephenson talks have broken down and that came after the team offered him a five year deal worth over $40 million. Stephenson is a talented player and Indy wants to keep him, but they won't break the bank and with Hibbert on the roster there is only so much they can give him anyway. Dragic had a very solid season and if the Pacers can pull off this deal, there is a chance they try and flip him to the Celtics for Rondo, even though that is very unlikely as well.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Pacers are talking about a deal for Hibbert and the Blazers usually come up at this time, as they offered him a deal a couple years ago when he was a restricted free agent. The team could look at Hibbert as a replacement and backup plan if they lose LaMarcus Aldridge, but the team is trying to sign him to an extension before he hits free agency after next season.
The Pacers were disappointed by the way Hibbert played in the postseason and he put up a couple games when he had zero rebounds and zero points and that type of production will not get it done for the Pacers. Hibbert averaged nine points and five rebounds per game and the Pacers are looking for more than that out of him. The team is hoping to sign back Stephenson and he could be on his way out and that means the Pacers could look very different one year from now.
The Suns and Pacers could be close to a deal, but right now the Suns want more for Dragic than the Pacers are willing to give up and one reason is because of his contract. Dragic is in on a cheap $7.5 million deal right now and the Suns aren't too hot on giving that up. The team is also hoping to sign back Eric Bledsoe and that could be a major move for the team depending on what happens with Dragic.