NBA Rumors: Why the Pacers Are a Great Fit for Chris Kaman

The Indiana Pacers are reportedly looking to trade for New Orleans Hornets center Chris Kaman, and he would be a tidy fit. The reason the Pacers are looking for him is they need a backup center for Roy Hibbert. 

The Pacers have been in need of a player who can score at the rim as well, and Kaman fits that bill. When appropriately utilized, he's good for about three to four dunks a game and can give you about 15 points and 10 boards per 36 minutes. 

That's something the Pacers are in dire need of as they are near the bottom of the NBA in points at the rim and are dead last in field-goal percentage at the rim. 

The best part for the Pacers is that because they are so far under the cap, they can simply absorb Kaman's contract by dealing only draft picks to the Hornets. 

This might seem like a bad deal to the Hornets, but since they are trying to make their team marketable, their main goal here is minimize contract returns. Therefore, this actually helps the Pacers. 

The Pacers are a hard-playing team that (and I mean this in a good way) wants to "goon it up" in the playoffs. They foul hard and foul often. They rely a lot on their big men in big games. 

Adding another who can rebound and score and spell Hibbert would be a huge lift to a team that's trying to take that next step into the "elite" category of teams. 

If the move doesn't work out, they aren't on the hook for a big contract and they still have a ton of money to spend in the free-agency market next year. 

For Kaman, it gives him a chance to prove himself before his contract ends. He's not getting much time in New Orleans. In fact, he wasn't even active in the last game, and he's been removed from the video highlights they play before the game. 

He'd get regular rotation minutes and postseason playing time, two things that will help him get a new contract after this one expires. 

For all parties, this is a trade that works out well. It's little wonder that the Pacers are at the top of the list to land Kaman.