Trade Grade: Pacers and 76ers swap Granger and Turner

Evan Turner heads to Indiana in exchange for Danny Granger.

The Indiana Pacers have traded Danny Granger to the Philadelphia 76ers for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen.

This is likely the most notable of any of today’s deadline trades because of its impact on the contending Indiana Pacers.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers clearly are looking to bolster their bench with this deal, as SF Danny Granger has been sub par this season. He is averaging 8.3 PPG and 3.6 RPG on 36% shooting this year. He has struggled coming off injury and has not looked like himself this season. His 22.5 minutes per game will likely go off course, to the new SG Evan Turner.

Statistically, Turner is having a very solid season averaging 17.4 PPG, 6 RPG, and 3.7 APG on 42.8% shooting. He has gotten all the playing time he could ever want on the lowly 76ers, and there will certainly be a change in his mindset with the contending Pacers. Indiana already has excellent wing shooters, so this deal makes sense as Turner is more of the slashing type. PF Lavoy Allen is just a throw in player, and will likely not get any minutes come playoff time behind David West and Luis Scola.

In terms of the financial side of the deal, all three players involved will likely not be on the teams  they just got traded to next season. They are all expiring contracts with the exception of Turner, who will be a restricted free agent. If not signed to a long term deal, the Pacers could sign him to $8.7 million dollar qualifying offer, which seems unlikely at this point.

Grade: B+

Philadelphia 76ers

For Philly this deal is pretty worthless and will not effect them long term. Granger is a expiring contract,  and may even be waived before he even plays a game for the 76ers. Regardless, they are clearly tanking and whether he plays or not will not make a difference.

In terms of giving up Turner, it just is a reminder of another wasted pick for them. He was selected 2nd overall in 2010, over other top 10 picks like Derrick Favors (3rd), DeMarcus Cousins (5th), Greg Monroe (7th), and Indiana’s very own Paul George (10th). It was unlikely they were going to resign him,  but it still has to be hard for 76ers fans to see officially Turner did not work out.

I would have liked to see the 76ers get a little more back for Turner, maybe a pick or a prospect. For someone averaging 17.4 PPG, the haul for him wasn’t much.

Grade: C

Summary: Overall, this trade may be a little over hyped around the web simply because not else went down today. This deal means nothing for the 76ers, and does give the Pacers a solid bench player who may be useful come playoff time.