The Pacers called the Hawks about trading Onyeka Okongwa

As the NBA trade deadline approaches next month, The Indiana Pacers have begun casting a wide net in search of frontcourt helpwith recent work including the call that the Atlanta Hawks about the center Mr. Okongwu.

Jake Fisher of The Stein Line reported this week that Indiana has reached out to Atlanta to evaluate Okongwu’s availability as the Pacers continue to explore options at center before the Feb. 5 deadline.

“At the bottom of the East, expectations remain that Indiana will chase big men for the present and the future until the buzzer sounds on Feb. 5,” Fisher wrote. “I was told this week, for example, that Indiana called Atlanta for Onyeka Okongwu in addition to previously reported interest in players such as Dallas’ Daniel Gafford and (considered much harder to get) Ivica Zubac of the LA Clippers.”

Okongwu, 25, is in the midst of a career season with the Hawks. In his sixth NBA campaign, the former No. 6 overall pick is averaging 16.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from three-point range. He has appeared in 40 games, making 29 starts, and is playing 31.9 minutes per contest as Atlanta is 20-22.

Contractually, Okongwu is under team control through the 2027–28 season. He is in the second year of a four-year, $61.9 million contract and is making $15 million this season, a figure that could appeal to teams looking for long-term stability without committing to a max deal.

The Pacers are casting a wide net for frontcourt help as the trade deadline approaches

Indiana’s interest in Okongwa is in line with a wide-ranging frontcourt search prompted by its struggles at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. The Pacers have also been linked to other big men around the league, including Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford and Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubacalthough Fisher noted that rival teams find Zubac far more difficult to acquire.

In addition to Okongwu, Fisher announced that the Pacers have registered interest in New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Mission. The 21-year-old second-year big man saw a reduced role in New Orleans but remains on Indiana’s radar as a developmental option.

Missy is averaging 5.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 55 percent from the field in 35 appearances, including seven starts. He is playing 18.2 minutes per game for a Pelicans team that has struggled to a 10–33 record. Missy is in the second year of his four-year, $15.6 million rookie contract, which includes a team option for the 2027–28 season.

For now, no deal seems imminent. Fisher noted that Indiana could ultimately decide to hold off on a significant move until the offseason, depending on market conditions and asking prices as the deadline nears.

The Pacers, now 9–32, ended their longest winning streak of the season on Wednesday night with a 115–101 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Indiana will look to bounce back on Friday night when they host the Pelicans at 7:00 PM ET before starting a five-game road trip against the Detroit Pistons (28–10) on Saturday at 7:30 PM ET.