NBA Trade Rumors: Chris Kaman Would Make Indiana Pacers Deadly in East

The Indiana Pacers are already good, and acquiring Chris Kaman would only make them better. How much better?

Bordering on Eastern Conference favorite better.

The Pacers are apparently becoming front-runners to acquire the services of the New Orleans Hornets' big man, and that will mean even more trouble for teams looking to knock off Indy.

Kaman would presumably back up Roy Hibbert, and together they would be the best center rotation in the Eastern Conference. Hibbert is playing at close to an All-Star level this year. He's averaging 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per night.

Kaman has played in 17 games this season, averaging nine points and six rebounds, but he's capable of more if he gets the minutes. He has never averaged less than 12 points and seven rebounds with 26 minutes of action per night.

Two legitimate seven-footers is a great luxury. Kaman would give them a capable shot blocker and allow the team to stay solid defensively, even when Hibbert sits.

Against some teams, the two could be played together. They would throw an unmatchable combination of size and ability at teams. The Pacers are already the second-best rebounding team in the NBA, and Kaman is only going to make them more dominant in that category.

Hibbert recently broke his nose, but he came back later in the contest and is now playing with a mask. As this grueling season continues, Kaman would also offer a more than capable backup if Hibbert were to go down with a more serious injury.

When you look at the two Eastern Conference king pins, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls, it makes Kaman's potential acquisition look even better.

The Bulls have a formidable center rotation with Joakim Noah and Omer Asik, but the Bulls usually take advantage of teams with less depth when Asik comes in. That would not be as easy against the Pacers if Frank Vogel could call on Kaman to battle Asik.

When facing Miami, the Heat's biggest issue is a lack of depth and size in their front court.  The Pacers would be adding another body that allows them to pound the Heat inside. The Heat don't really have an answer for Kaman and Hibbert, and it would put even more pressure on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to dominate their matchups.

Hibbert and Kaman vs. Joel Anthony and Dexter Pittman is an easy win for Indy.

The Pacers do not have to give up $14 million dollars worth of salaries to make the money match. NBA rules state that they only have to part with around $9.3.

The decreased dollar amount means players like Jeff Foster and Louis Amundson would almost certainly be involved, as well as a draft pick or two; the Hornets are desperately building for the future, and the picks would likely be most important.

The Pacers would have to determine who else they could include to make the deal work, but it definitely makes an already strong team, even stronger. 

The Pacers are for real, and acquiring Chris Kaman would be a great move in establishing them as an elite team.