{"id":4368,"date":"2023-01-04T10:04:30","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T10:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/23-bold-predictions-for-indiana-sports-colts-trades-final-fours\/"},"modified":"2023-01-04T10:04:30","modified_gmt":"2023-01-04T10:04:30","slug":"23-bold-predictions-for-indiana-sports-colts-trades-final-fours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/23-bold-predictions-for-indiana-sports-colts-trades-final-fours\/","title":{"rendered":"23 bold predictions for Indiana sports: Colts trades, Final Fours"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A new year means renewed optimism.<\/p>\n
We asked our staff for a few bold predictions for 2023 in Indiana sports. Here’s what they came up with:<\/p>\n
1. Matt Painter reaches first Final Four.<\/h2>\n<\/figure>\n
The Boilermakers are ranked No. 1 in the country (at least for now), so this might not be that<\/em> bold of a prediction, but Purdue hasn’t reached the Final Four since 1980. And with last year’s Sweet 16 loss to Saint Peter’s, you take nothing for granted.<\/p>\n
But Purdue is No. 1 for a reason. The Boilers have wins over Gonzaga and Duke already, the nation’s most dominant player (see: Zach Edey) and enviable depth. Matt Painter has won the Big Ten three times, but big-time success in March has evaded him and the Boilers. Though, let’s not hold our nose at three Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight in the past six years. There’s a certain program down south that would love a run like that right now. \u2014 Matthew Glenesk<\/em><\/p>\n\n
2. Colts trade up to No. 2 in 2023 NFL draft<\/h2>\n
Finally in range to strike and pick their quarterback of the future, Indianapolis makes the sort of trade it\u2019s known for avoiding, trading away future picks in order to get up to the No. 2 pick and make sure it gets its guy, Ohio State\u2019s C.J. Stroud. \u2014 Joel Erickson<\/em><\/p>\n
3. At what cost?<\/h2>\n
In that same trade-up idea, a deal to Chicago, would include Kenny Moore II and DeForest Buckner, reuniting the Colts defenders with former coordinator Matt Eberflus, now the Bears head coach. \u2014 Nate Atkins<\/em><\/p>\n
4. Colts pick two quarterbacks<\/h2>\n
Ultimately frustrated by the team\u2019s inability to find answers at the quarterback position, the Colts dip back into the draft pool in the third round to take Tennessee\u2019s Hendon Hooker, who was making a bid for the Heisman Trophy before he tore his ACL. \u2014 Joel Erickson<\/em><\/p>\n
5. Tyrese Haliburton makes NBA All-Star game<\/h2>\n<\/figure>\n
It won’t be easy. The East is loaded with strong backcourt candidates: Cleveland’s Donavan Mitchell, Boston’s Jaylen Brown, Atlanta’s Trae Young, Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving, Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan, Cleveland’s Darius Garland, Miami’s Tyler Herro and Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday just to name a few.<\/p>\n
The Pacers’ last All-Star (Domantas Sabonis) was the man Hailburton was traded for. The Pacers have had an All-Star nine of the past 12 years (Paul George four times and Sabonis, Victor Oladipo and Roy Hibbert twice each). Haliburton looks likely to be the next name on that list. He’s averaging 20.5 points per game with a league-leading 10.2 assists and is the bona fide face of the franchise that has a buzz about it again. \u2014 Dustin Dopirak<\/em><\/p>\n\n
6. The Pacers reach NBA playoffs…<\/h2>\n
… but as an 8-seed and survive the play-in round before losing to the Celtics. \u2014 Dustin Dopirak<\/em><\/p>\n
7. Myles Turner signs a contract extension<\/h2>\n
A constant in trade rumors for what seems like his whole Pacers career, the center, now in the final year of his contract, was almost certainly on his way out the door. On a podcast with Adrian Wojnarowksi, Turner even suggested the Lakers should<\/em> trade for him. But then the Pacers starting winning rather than tanking. And Turner is having a career year and says he’s having fun, getting a chance to pair up with an elite point guard in Tyrese Haliburton.<\/p>\n\n
Last month, The Athletic’s Shams Charania\u00a0reported the Pacers and Turner are negotiating on a new deal.<\/p>\n
The Pacers have $25 million in cap space available, so they can sign Turner to a renegotiation and extension; potentially paying him more than he could receive from another team. They have until March 1 to reach an extension, as extensions can not be signed between March 1 and June 30 with free agency beginning on July 1. \u2014 Dustin Dopirak<\/em><\/p>\n
![\"Purdue](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2022\/11\/12\/PLAI\/16c48316-82fd-4c4c-bfb9-e0e2b2ee9504-PurdueAustinPeayMBB111122_AM32896.jpg?width=660&height=395&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Indiana](\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2022\/12\/30\/PIND\/fa44fbac-9d61-48ce-8809-11124d0ca4eb-AF109979.JPG?width=300&height=547&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp\")
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