The Indiana Pacers have shopped a trade with Roy Hibbert this summer and Goran Dragic with the Phoenix Suns is a potential target for a deal, as Indy is looking to upgrade from George Hill and they also are dealing with the fallout from the Paul George injury and this comes as they are trying to sign Shawn Marion as a free agent on the market to help replace him in the lineup.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Pacers and the Suns spoke about a potential deal for Dragic involving Hibbert and while the deal is not close to happening now, it could play out if Shawn Marion opts to sign with the Cavaliers over the Pacers. Indiana is looking to recover after the Paul George injury and this comes as the team shopped Hibbert earlier in the offseason. PBT also reports that the Pacers and Pistons have touched base on a deal involving Greg Monroe and Roy Hibbert and that could be explored more once Marion makes his move.
Marc Stein wrote on ESPN earlier this summer that Dragic was a "dream" option for the Pacers and this comes as the team is looking to upgrade at the point guard position. Dragic had an excellent season last year and he would be a massive upgrade over Hill, as he is athletic and can run the offense efficiently and that is something the Pacers need after ranking near the bottom of the league in scoring with 96 points per game, ranked 24th in the league.
Last season the Suns were rumored to be interested in Pau Gasol with the Lakers at the trade deadline and they still want a veteran big man and that is one reason why this deal could potentially workout down the line. The Pacers may not end up trading Hibbert, but with Marion up in the air and the Paul George injury, they are keeping their options open. The Pacers can still compete in the east, but it will be tough without George if the team doesn't make a move of some sort.
The Suns are not interested in trading Dragic and they feel that he is a player the franchise should build around along with Isaiah Thomas and Alex Len. The Suns have Thomas in the backcourt as an option if they trade Dragic and the team is also expecting to sign Eric Bledsoe back and he is still on the market as a restricted free agent. The Suns were one of the most surprising teams in the league last season and they ended up winning 48 games and just missing the playoffs in the west.
Dragic was named most improved player of the year and he played alongside Bledsoe and had the team as one of the best offensive units in the NBA. Losing Bledsoe would hurt, but the team added Thomas and he is coming off of a career year with 20 points and six rebounds per games last season with the Sacramento Kings before his sign and trade as a restricted free agent. Unlike Bledsoe and Monroe, Thomas did not have trouble securing a deal as an RFA and now he could end up as the starting point guard for the Suns.
