TURNER, ALLEN TO PACERS FOR DANNY GRANGER
The Indiana Pacers acquired swingman Evan Turner and center-power forward Lavoy Allen from the Philadelphia 76ers for guard-forward Danny Granger.
What does it give the Indiana Pacers
If anyone still wondered whether the Pacers are really intent on contending for a title right now, this trade should convince them. Turner is a do-it-all star who can either be a super-sixth man or a starter for them, while Allen is an underrated defensive presence in the paint. Turner is immediately an upgrade from Granger, who is healthy again but didn't look quite like his stellar self this season. Meanwhile Allen can help bring some of the muscle Indy was hoping for when they acquired the still-inactive {P Andrew Bynum}. Finals or bust here.
What does it give the Philadelphia 76ers
Above all this trade lets Philly dump even more salary this off-season than they could have by letting Turner and Allen walk. Granger's contract is worth roughly $4 million more than Turner's and Allen's combined, and all three deals expire this summer. This is a perfect cap and roster move for Philadelphia, a team that's assembling a lot of very impressive building blocks and gearing up for a very deep 2014 Draft. Until then, Granger will likely get a chance to show future suitors he can still play at a high level.
Fantasy impact
Turner's fantasy appeal takes a fairly significant hit with this trade, although he's sure to be a rotation regular for the Pacers. The problem is he's going from being a go-to guy for an inexperienced young team to a role player on a deep veteran squad. That said, he'll probably play enough to cut into the minutes of {P Lance Stephenson} and probably even {P George Hill} (since Turner can play the point). Meanwhile Allen doesn't get much of a fantasy upgrade at all, but he'll probably steal some minutes from big men {P Luis Scola} and {P Ian Mahinmi}, and it won't be a shocker if his addition keeps Bynum inactive. On the Philly side, Granger gets a major upgrade with this deal; he is now probably the go-to scorer for the rebuilding Sixers. Also seeing a boost will likely be {P Tony Wroten}, who may shift to shooting guard and steal some minutes from {P James Anderson} (especially since promising point guard {P Eric Maynor} was acquired too on deadline day).
