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Goran Dragic Trade Rumors: How Pacers Can Snatch Him Up

By Evan Massey

Nov 9, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1) looks on against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1) looks on against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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How can the Indiana Pacers acquire talented Phoenix Suns point guard Goran Dragic ahead of the February 19th NBA trade deadline?

Goran Dragic is the hottest name in NBA trade rumors right now, but the Phoenix Suns are doing everything they can to trade him ahead of tomorrow’s trade deadline. The Indiana Pacers are listed as one team that is interested in Dragic, and they are also on his list of teams that he would prefer to be traded to according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

"After informing the Phoenix Suns that Goran Dragic won’t re-sign an extension this summer, agent Bill Duffy delivered the Phoenix Suns a list of preferred trade destinations that includes the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Miami Heat, league sources told Yahoo Sports.The Indiana Pacers are also a possible destination for Dragic, league sources told Yahoo Sports."

It has been a rough season for Dragic and the Suns, and Dragic has been very open with the fact that he doesn’t trust the management in Phoenix anymore.

While Dragic would look very good in a Pacers jersey, there are some concerns surrounding whether or not the Pacers could make the financials work. Dragic has already told the Suns that he won’t re-sign with them in free agency this coming offseason, and no team should acquire him without an agreement on a new deal. He has wanted a maximum extension, and that is very steep money for Dragic.

During the 2014 season so far, Dragic has averaged 16.2 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game. He has shot 50.1 percent from the floor and 35.5 percent from behind the three-point arc.

Larry Bird pursued a Dragic deal this past offseason, and was more than willing to move Roy Hibbert in that deal. Now that Dragic is available again, will Bird show his interest in acquiring the 28-year-old point guard out of Yugoslavia?

If the Pacers do want to acquire Dragic, the first thing they need to do is figure out what type of trade package it would take to get him. First of all, they would have to be willing to part with a first-round pick. Assuming that isn’t an issue for the Pacers, they would then have to figure out what else it would take to pry him away from Phoenix.

Due to the fact that Dragic has requested a trade, the Suns are in a bad bargaining situation. Dragic holds the contract key with potential buyers, and he isn’t going to agree to a long-term deal with a team that isn’t on his list.

Indiana could make a fairly competitive offer of a first-round pick, C.J. Miles, and Chris Copeland for Dragic. That may not sound like an incredibly attractive trade offer, but the pick and Miles are very valuable pieces. Copeland could also be a darkhorse pickup for the Suns with his ability to stretch the floor and knock down threes.

Obviously it will all come down to whether or not the Suns are actually going to pull the trigger on a trade. There is still a chance that they keep Dragic for the remainder of the season and allow him to walk in free agency. That isn’t their best opition, but they could choose to be stubborn and try to convince him to re-sign in the offseason anyway with a lucrative deal.

Tomorrow’s deadline is going to be a very busy team, and the Pacers are likely to be mentioned quite a bit. Dragic has been a target of theirs for quite some time, and they are going to see if there’s a deal to be made. Phoenix and Indiana made a trade this past offseason and have a working relationship, but will the Pacers give up enough value and the type of extension that Dragic wants to get the job done?

Expect to see Dragic get traded before the deadline, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the Pacers will be his destination. They are a very possible suitor for him, but other teams are going to see what they can do to convince the Suns and Dragic to make a deal with them.

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