The Indiana Pacers are likely staying put for the deadline after no takers came for Danny Granger, but with hours left, let's throw logic out the window and say the team looks at Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, Eric Gordon or Austin Rivers in a deal for Lance Stephenson, as the Pacers know he could end up leaving as a free agent.
The Pelicans have been looking to get into the trade market and they could look for a deal involving Stephenson, who also had some attention from the Orlando Magic, according to SI.com. That deal never went anywhere and there were reports that the Pelicans were shopping Gordon and that Evans and Holiday were in the mix as well. The team has not performed as well as they expected after making those moves in the offseason and Ryan Anderson was expected to be involved as well before he was injured.
Gordon has been mentioned in trade rumors over the past two seasons and he said on Tuesday that he thinks he will remain with the team. Stephenson is definitely not getting traded, as the Pacers love what he brings to the court, but with Paul George, Roy Hibbert and David West, there is a good chance the team will not be able to afford him next season. The team was in the market for a shooter or point guard and those players could fit, but there is likely no chance the deal goes down this late.
Gordon has been playing better and he knows the team could be much better than they are, but Holiday, who was great last season while averaging 14.3 points and 7.9 assists, has been injured and so has Anderson. The team was hoping to compete for a playoff position, but right now they are out of it and as the deadline closes, it looks like their top names will remain.
The Pacers are the top team in the east and traded for Luis Scola in the offseason and now the team is in position to make a title run after adding Andrew Bynum. They remain first in the east and arte looking for home court advantage against the Heat.
