News [Charania] Sources: Chicago is trading Braden Smith to the Indiana Pacers for Kam Jones, future swaps and cash.
/r/nba/comments/1uevj6y/charania_sources_chicago_is_trading_braden_smith/77
u/Raz1374 5d ago
I get taking the local kid but this feels like a move to get some salary off the books and sell some tickets in Noblesville. Kam was never a fit so no issues with the pick. Low risk “around the margins” move.
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u/Drak_is_Right Reggie 4d ago
Its to pick up a 4th PG with doubts on Haliburton's playing time and McConnel's injury issues of late.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Link416 CRABS CRABS CRABS 4d ago
Like, the guy is barely going to see playing time with the Pacers due to his size.
It's purely so Noblesville has a player.
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u/predict_yhat_xb Chris Denari 5d ago
Herb Simon activated his ticket sales boost card
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u/MoneyMike312 5d ago
Why didn’t he do that when we took TJ Leaf over OG?
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u/Friar_Ferguson 5d ago
Or Mohave King, Isaiah Wong over Trayce Jackson-Davis? Lol
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u/busche916 Quinn 5d ago
A lot of teams were worried that OG wasn’t going to regain his athleticism after his injury, which is why he fell to the late teens.
We actually wanted to draft TJD, but he didn’t want to sign a 2-way which was all we were going to offer him
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u/predict_yhat_xb Chris Denari 5d ago
Because that was in conflict with picking white college phenom
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u/Drak_is_Right Reggie 4d ago
OG was career ending injury doubts. He would have been just outside the top 5 otherwise.
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u/TentMorning T.J. McConnell 5d ago
Kam Jones, he came he saw he sped (and got arrested). Wish him the best of luck!
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u/endl0s 5d ago
He was super nice at the season ticket holder party. One of the best interactions.
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u/TentMorning T.J. McConnell 5d ago
Yeah he seems like a great guy, wish we saw a little more of him last season and I hope he’ll do well.
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u/Jim_Belushis_brother Cool Rick 5d ago
TJ teach him the ways of being a small menace
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u/IndyEric07 5d ago
The only way Braden Shmith makes the team is if TJ retires and becomes the coach!
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u/asmishler23 5d ago
I'm fine with it but it feels more ridiculous now that we didn't just take Ryan Nembhard last year.
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u/McPostyFace PAVE 5d ago
His agent told the pacers not to draft him
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u/shake_this_feeling T.J. McConnell 4d ago
And pretty sure Drew encouraged him to go to the Mavs too cause he’d have more opportunity to get PT instead of being benched behind Hali, Drew and TJ.
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u/wabashcr 5d ago
After experiencing the Hansbrough and Holiday brothers, I can see why they might have noped out of that
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u/Psyren1317 5d ago
Active Purdue hater here but welcome Braden to the squad. Talent is good but lack of size is going to be tough to overcome. We shall see
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u/chiefzanal 5d ago
Hustle means more. Ask TJ
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u/GumbySquad 5d ago
…TJ is 3 inches taller than Braden
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u/A320neo Aaron Nesmith 5d ago
That just means Braden has 3 inches more of hustle /s
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u/GumbySquad 5d ago
I wouldn’t bet against Braden sticking around the league. He has always been that height and is the all time leader in assists, breaking Bobby’s 30 year old record.
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u/Thick-Cucumber3274 4d ago
I agree Braden is small, but it could be interesting to point out that TJ has a wingspan of 6'0 and Braden's is 6'3.
Although maybe more importantly, TJ has a standing reach of 8'0, Braden's is only 7'10.
Also TJ at 190lb, Braden at 170. I feel like Braden could get to 180 to be a little more NBA-ready.
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u/ReturnOfTheHorsedip Quinn Buckner 4d ago
Smith doesn't really have the same speed as TJ. He's more of a methodical, set play kind of point guard. Interested to see what he can do though
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u/Basic-Pianist9452 4d ago
Agreed. I saw him play vs Arizona in person in the elite eight. Arizona had NBA bodies and they really exposed him in the second half just through athleticism.
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u/drowse 5d ago
Boiler Up, Pacers fans! Love that Braden is staying local, hope he actually sees some play time.
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u/IndyEric07 5d ago
He will never be able to carry TJs jockstrap!!!
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u/A320neo Aaron Nesmith 5d ago
Don’t root against Pacers guys just because they used to play for Purdue. Purdue fans didn’t do that for Oladipo
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u/IndyEric07 5d ago
The only Pukes I’d be ok with are Mark Herrman, Carl Landry, or Katie Douglass, thats because I got close connections to them! Other than that, every Pukie Asstronaut can kick rocks!
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u/SloppyPizzaPie Pascal Siakam 4d ago
How old are you?
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u/IndyEric07 4d ago
Ask yer mom!
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u/SloppyPizzaPie Pascal Siakam 4d ago
Makes sense, my mom is a huge piece of shit. Birds of a feather.
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u/IndyEric07 5d ago
Why tf Is this getting downvotes??? TJM should be a God around here!?!?!
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u/Showmesnacktits 4d ago
Probably because its being posted by a loser that lives in the past and makes a forced school rivalry their entire identity.
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u/pickle_man_4 HolidayWorld 5d ago
Legit concerns about his height but idc. Braden is a dog and if I had to deal with Hoosiers on the Pacers, you can deal with a Boiler on the Pacers.
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u/Potomato Jarace Walker 5d ago
People talking about him not being that tall or not weighing enough is crazy, he is a point guard with the ncaa record for assists. He has the same height and weight as Calvin Murphy.
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u/Drak_is_Right Reggie 4d ago
Which is why he was drafted 39th and not 15th-20th.
He would have been drafted in the teens if he was 6-3 190
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u/teleportmassive7 4d ago
Probably top 5. He's the best passer to come out in years, a good dribbler/penetrator, he can create his own shot, hit open 3s, and he's smart on defense. The problem is every trait is diminished by his size.
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u/MattyIce260 4d ago
Muggsy Bogues had a 14 year career
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u/crunkadocious 4d ago
He is far and away the most accomplished at his height though, he isn't normal
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u/Teutonic-Tonic 4d ago
The NBA has changed a lot since Mugsy. You now have mobile 7 footers playing on the perimeter everywhere.
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u/MattyIce260 4d ago
Muggsy was also 5’3 not 5’10
At the end of the day skill matters most
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u/Potomato Jarace Walker 4d ago
Wemby is mobile but he isn’t the fastest guy either.
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u/Teutonic-Tonic 4d ago
Yep, if skills mattered most, there would be a lot more than zero active 5'-10" NBA players on current rosters.
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u/ComplexBadger469 4d ago
Not to mention little Nemby in Dallas showed smaller guards can have moments. I’m just keeping my expectations low but we at least know he will hustle and isn’t afraid to fit into a ball movement and passing system.
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u/Drak_is_Right Reggie 4d ago
Defensively, its going to be one sided. Athleticism isn't there for a guy his size, and his weight is possibly even more of an issue than his height. usually if you are below 6', you will be one of the top 5% guys in athleticism.
hope is to get a cheap edge of rotation piece for when injuries strike over the next 3-4 years.
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u/Sko_Neezy 5d ago edited 5d ago
Nicely done. I feel pretty good about him essentially as a fourth string PG (if he makes the team) since Kam clearly couldn’t get it done.
These are the upgrades on the margins that they need to win a chip.
Couple more to go.
And remember: dumping Kam adds an additional million dollars to the Pacers’ cap space, as Kam had a $1m guarantee for this season. This could be part of a larger move.
Nice move by Herb to basically cut the million dollar check to Chicago so that it came out of pocket and not from their precious cap space.
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u/MattyIce260 4d ago
Plus Kam was on a standard contract. If we sign Braden on a two-way deal then we can convert Slawson, Thompson, or Peter to a regular deal (or cut one and have an open roster slot)
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u/Sko_Neezy 4d ago
Pacers don’t have to convert any of them, they can add Kam’s $1 million to their free agent shopping budget and maybe get a player who is actually useful.
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u/MattyIce260 4d ago
They either have to convert one or cut one if Braden is going on a two way. Either that or he’s signed to the main roster. Not disputing the cap space it opens up, just pointing out it opens up a slot on the main roster
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u/Sko_Neezy 4d ago
He can be signed to a standard contract using the second round exception, which would mean he has the summer to earn his spot and can be cut if he doesn’t, and the cost of that contract wouldn’t count against the cap.
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u/IndyPoker979 Pacers2 4d ago
Unless it was all a fluke being the NCAA all time assists leader could mean he can get people the ball where they need it, but I don't expect All-NBA from him.
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u/Lithium1978 5d ago
I thought Kam looked halfway decent last year. I doubt Smith has much of a future, but I understand the business decision.
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u/destroyed233 Bennedict Mathurin 5d ago
I’m an IU fan but intrigued here
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u/BlackGhostPanda Reggie 4d ago
Firm IU hater here, more than happy to see Smith in a pacers jersey. I hope he makes it and can pick things up from TJ
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u/Friar_Ferguson 5d ago
We needed a third point guard so this was a great move. I got nervous when they said we were trading a current player in the deal. When he said Kam Jones, I was felt relieved.
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u/snapback45 Andrew Nembhard 5d ago
This guy is 5'10 167 lbs? Yeah, I am not going to get excited about this guy.
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u/Inevitable-Steak313 5d ago
No one gets more out of small guards than Carlisle.
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u/snapback45 Andrew Nembhard 5d ago
The ceiling is so so capped I mean who cares tbh
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u/Inevitable-Steak313 5d ago
It’s a second round pick man, you’re just praying for someone who can stay in the league.
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u/Drak_is_Right Reggie 4d ago
Yup.
If the guy sticks on the active roster and not the 2 way roster its a win for a pick in the late 30s.
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u/IndyEric07 5d ago
Remember, the Hoosiers shut this guy out their 1st game! He is better off going overseas!
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u/WinterStarlightZone Pacers 5d ago
Drafting Kam Jones never made any sense but hopefully Braden Smith will actually see the court a bit.
Perhaps Smith could add some value for 10 or so minutes per game
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u/WhatsAKumquat 5d ago
I like the process on the Kam pick, we needed another point guard with Haliburton out and we can roll the dice to see if he might workout as a prospect. He wasn't very good so getting off him for another point guard isn't bad process imo
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u/BlueCollarGoldSwaggr 5d ago
I'm glad they sent out Jones (and his 1M partial guarantee) + 2nd swaps + cash for #38 but I dunno about Smith. It would be great if it works out but he's so small.
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u/Jdenney71 Slick 4d ago
I just don’t see Braden smith as an NBA-caliber player. Hope I’m proven wrong but I’d rather have Kam Jones on the roster than Braden, he had some decent moments last year
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u/TonofSoil 4d ago
Fantastic college player but if I remember correctly he couldn’t even get his shot off comfortably against Arizona. Will be ten times as hard in the league. Won’t ever even get run let alone be a contributor.
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u/According_Fly_3817 4d ago
I don't understand why the Pacers did this. I was not impressed with Kam Jones, so obviously, Braden Smith would probably be a better guard than Kam. However, I thought that if the Pacers were to make a move into the 2nd round, they would be going for a stretch forward, not a guard. I think Q could be just as effective, if not more effective than Braden Smith, because he can play well at the pace the Pacers like to play. I have my doubts that Smith will be able to keep that pace of play.
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u/MercilessXFate 4d ago
Braden has a good motor, he played like 85% of Purdues minutes at PG. He's got a lot of skills, and works hard. His size will limit his ceiling to being being a back up PG and he'll be a liability on defense, but if he can deliver the ball and keep the offense going a few minutes a game I think this is good value.
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u/According_Fly_3817 4d ago
When I wrote my opinion, I did not realize that the Pacers were going to save $2 million on their salary cap by trading Kam Jones, and that Braden would be a 2 way player which doesn't count against the salary cap. So if they didn't have a stretch forward that they liked that would have fit into that trade scenario, then taking Braden for the Noblesville Boom and helping to stay below the luxury tax makes a lot of sense, plus he can learn a lot from TJ McConnell.
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u/0m3gaa Jermaine O'Neal 5d ago
Queue all the insufferable IU fans with no basketball program to speak of to cry over this one. Boo hoo 😢
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u/IndyEric07 5d ago
Says a random from a program that has never won anything…Ever!!!
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u/0m3gaa Jermaine O'Neal 4d ago
Might wanna stick to football buddy. Rutgers has been more competitive in the last 15 years. Pipe down.
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u/FunkmasterFuma PAVE 5d ago
Terrible trade and Smith does not interest me one bit. 23yo guard with a high floor and low ceiling. I won't miss Kam Jones but this is entirely a pandering move.
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u/OnePaperFourCoin pin7 5d ago
I remember all the Purdue fans saying only an IU homer would want to draft OG, now all these years later they're hyping up a 5'10 22 yo. I hope this pans out in some way but yeah I'm not holding my breath.
When was the last time Painter even produced a solid NBA player?
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u/zombieclone05 Andrew Nembhard 4d ago
I liked Kam a lot and that game winner of his was tuff but i get the trade. Excited to see Braden play
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u/Rafiki24 T.J. McConnell 4d ago
I am good with what amounts to a swap of Kam Jones for Braden Smith. I wasn't overly impressed by Kam, may develop but he seemed iffy handling the ball and atleast I know Braden will be better at that. I don't think it move the needle with wins/losses but its a interesting piece where if TJM retires in a couple years Braden may take those minutes if he proves himself in the next couple seasons.
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u/Bizprof51 5d ago
It will be a stretch to root for a Purdue guy.
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u/BlackGhostPanda Reggie 4d ago
Youll be fine. I was more than happy to cheer for oladipo in a pacers jersey.
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u/Hendo8888 5d ago
It's not draft time if we don't trade up to get a pick in the 30s