Pacers Should Trade for $112 Million Sharpshooting Forward

The Indiana Pacers are in their championship window as star guard Tyrese Haliburton is set to return in the 2026 season.

While they struggled in 2025 during his absence, and don't own their pick due to the Ivica Zubac trade, the roster is still talented, and they will have a chance to compete in the Eastern Conference.

However, to get over the hump and win the title, they could use more firepower. A trade for Trey Murphy III would be a great addition to help Indiana.

Murphy III is coming off a career year for the New Orleans Pelicans, as he averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The 25-year-old shot 47 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three.

He would add a scoring punch alongside Haliburton and co-star Pascal Siakam. Their new-look starting lineup would be Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Murphy III, Siakam, and Zubac.

Haliburton is an elite-level playmaker, as he averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game in the 2024-25 season. He shot 47.3 percent from the floor and 38.8 percent from behind the arc.

His playmaking ability would get Murphy III plenty of open looks and allow him to thrive as a scorer and shooter.

Murphy III has three years remaining on a four-year $112 million deal he inked with the Pelicans. 

New Orleans is in rebuild mode, and Murphy III could be moved this offseason. The Pacers have shown a willingness to be aggressive in capitalizing on their window with the risky Zubac deal.

Zubac could make a big difference for Indiana, as he was named to the All-Defensive Team in the 2024-25 season. In the 2025-26 season, Zubac appeared in 48 games, averaging 14.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, shooting 59.8 percent from the field. His game should be elevated playing with a playmaker like Haliburton.

His impact as the starting center will be pivotal, but they could use more size and scoring, which makes a player like Murphy III a great fit for Kevin Pritchard and the Pacers front office to pursue this offseason.

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