LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 18: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
Victor Oladipo sounds like he wants out of Indiana.
The Indiana Pacers are not the flashiest team in the league, but a relentless defense from head coach Nate McMillan being orchestrated by one of the league’s best two-way players in Victor Oladipo has made them a fixture in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. That stable foundation is on the verge of buckling, however, as McMillan was fired and Oladipo appears moments away from officially demanding a trade,
On an Instagram Live chat with Fat Joe, Oladipo mentioned that he is interested in winning a championship above all else. Considering the recent rumblings about his future, this could be a sign he wants out of Indiana because he doesn’t believe this squad is capable of winning a championship.
Trading Victor Oladipo would cause the Pacers to slip in the East
Oladipo, who started in Bloomington in college at Indiana, was picked second overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. While an above-average wing scorer in Orlando, he didn’t hit that rarified star tier until he was traded to the Pacers in the Paul George deal. Oladipo has been named an All-Star twice in three years, scoring 20.7 points per game while winning the 2017-28 Most Improved Player award and being named to the All-Defensive team. 2019-20 was not as kind, as he played in just 19 games due to injuries.
Oladipo might not be the only player on the Pacers that is thinking about getting out of Dodge before the stuff hits the fan, as defensive stalwart center Myles Turner is exploring the possibility of leaving Indiana.
Oladipo did do his best to try and calm down the rumors, confirming in the stream that he is still, in fact, a Pacer and that he “can’t control where the rumors come from.”
Oladipo might’ve tried to put those flames out, but an Indiana rebuild is still very much in play after the Miami Heat swept them in the playoffs.