Grade the trade: Pacers snag Pascal Siakam in proposed blockbuster
By Tyler Watts
The Indiana Pacers made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason when they signed Bruce Brown Jr. to a massive $45 million contract for the next two years. They are hungry to exit their rebuild and return to the playoffs, and Brown Jr. just helped the Nuggets win the championship last season. His defense, playmaking, and toughness will be the keys to the Pacers improvement.
Indiana may not be done making moves. They have 15 players under contract, but fans hear the Pascal Siakam rumors. The 6’9 forward may not be available, but the Pacers are eager to get in the bidding when he is. Siakam is entering the final year of his contract, so the Raptors need to decide between extending and looking to move on from the two-time All-Star.
Will the Pacers win the bidding war if Spicy P hits the market? Indiana has young talent and multiple draft picks, but is that enough?
Can the Indiana Pacers trade for Pascal Siakam?
Siakam’s expiring contract limits his value, and it will only drop further if the Raptors wait until the trade deadline to move him. The Mavericks traded two starters, one first-round draft pick, and two second-rounders for Kyrie Irving on an expiring deal at the 2023 deadline. That feels like the baseline, and Toronto must decide quickly if they want a massive haul for Siakam.
The Pacers have all of their first-round draft picks and plenty of young talent to sweeten this deal. With Fred VanVleet in Houston, trading Siakam likely means a Raptors rebuild. Toronto will focus on getting picks and young talent back for their star as Indiana looks to leap into playoff contention.
The Indiana Pacers have the assets, but what would they have to give up to acquire Pascal Siakam?