The Indiana Pacers have put themselves in a perfect position to make a trade. Not only do they have a great core, but they have some players who could be easily sent out in deals.
Tyrese Haliburton is the head of the snake in Indiana, with guys like Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin following closely behind him. Adding another star talent to the mix could greatly improve the ceiling of this team.
The salaries of Buddy Hield, Daniel Theis, and TJ McConnell will make trading much easier, as the Pacers are able to easily aggregate salaries into a larger deal.
Grade the Trade: Pacers land Pascal Siakam in 4-player mock blockbuster
And in the following deal proposed by Diego Vergel de Dios of Clutch Points, the Pacers would do just that, landing Pascal Siakam in a trade with the Toronto Raptors.
Earlier this summer, it was rumored that the Pacers were interested in acquiring help at the forward position, with guys like Tobias Harris and OG Anunoby mentioned as potential targets.
Siakam just wrapped up a solid season in which he was named to his second All-Star team. But with the Raptors’ future in question, they could look to shake things up.
That said, Siakam has reportedly made it clear that he only wants to sign an extension in Toronto, and considering he’s entering the final year of his contract, that’s a concern for any team that tries to trade for him.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at this trade from each side and give it a grade for both teams involved.
Grade the Trade: Pacers land Pascal Siakam in 4-player mock blockbuster: Raptors grade
The grade this deal deserves for the Toronto Raptors entirely depends on how they view the future of the franchise, as they have been reluctant to hit the reset button on their roster.
Rather than selling assets at the trade deadline this past year, the Raptors were buyers, trading a first-round pick for Jakob Poeltl. Until they change this mindset, they won’t entertain trades for Siakam
But even if they were to deal the two-time All-Star, a package like this probably wouldn’t be too intriguing to them, as they should want to get more back in return.
The Atlanta Hawks reportedly offered De’Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin, and draft capital for Siakam, but they were turned down. This offer from the Indiana Pacers doesn’t come close to that.
If Toronto decides to blow it up, they would want a bit more in a deal for their All-Star. However, if this evaluation is taking into account the fact that Siakam may not sign an extension, then it makes a bit more sense.
But if the Raptors are trading Siakam and want fair value in return, they would want either better picks or better prospects in a deal, and in the case of the Pacers, they would probably ask for one (or both) of Andrew Nembhard, who is Canadian, or Aaron Nesmith.
Grade: D+
Grade the Trade: Pacers land Pascal Siakam in 4-player mock blockbuster: Pacers grade
From the perspective of the Indiana Pacers, this deal would be an absolute slam dunk (under the condition that Pascal Siakam would be willing to sign an extension with the team).
Assuming the condition is in place, then there’s no reason the Pacers shouldn’t make this trade. All of the pieces they’d be giving up are replaceable or in the final year of their contract.
Losing Buddy Hield hurts, but he’s in the last year of his deal, and trading him for a two-time All-Star is a no-brainer, regardless of how great he is behind the three-point line.
Daniel Theis is a solid role player, but the Pacers have guys like Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson to fill the gaps. And while Jordan Nwora found some success with the Pacers at the tail end of last year, they have plenty of wings on the roster.
The tandem of Tyrese Haliburton and Siakam would be deadly, and when combined with Myles Turner’s presence in the frontcourt, they would be one of the more intriguing teams in the East.
Giving up two first-round picks is a risk, but if Siakam is willing to stick around long-term, it’s worth it. That’s what this all hinges on, though, because if Siakam doesn’t guarantee that he wants to be back, this isn’t worth the risk.
Grade: A-