Indiana Pacers: 3 best and worst transactions in team history

Worst: Trading Danny Granger for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen

The Pacers were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference when the General Manager at the time, Larry Bird, decided they needed to add an extra piece. So on February 20, 2014, the Pacers sent Danny Granger and a second-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen.

On the Granger part of the deal, the Pacers lost their captain, leader, and mentor. The Pacers sent away the man that, for years, was the only bright spot in the organization, to the destitute and going nowhere 76ers. Granger had been dealing with injuries, so the thought was to upgrade, but this trade pulled at the fabric that was the Pacers chemistry.

Evan Turner came to the team and never fit in on the floor or in the locker room. He played 27 games for the blue and gold while only averaging 7.1 points per game and 44.2 percent shooting. Away from his play on the floor, Turner got into a fight during practice with Pacers’ fan-favorite Lance Stephenson. He just never meshed with the culture of the Pacers.

Turner left the Pacers in the off-season to sign with the Boston Celtics. Lavoy Allen was not a terrible addition as he played three and a half seasons for Indiana. He was a decent role player but is no longer in the NBA. Who knows what would have happened that season if the Pacers had kept Granger in the locker room?