A lot was expected out of Pascal Siakam this season. And so far, he's delivered.
After Tyrese Haliburton went down with an Achilles injury, it was widely understood that the Indiana Pacers would add a little bit more onto Siakam's plate to help generate the offense even more. And after Myles Turner left for the Milwaukee Bucks, this sentiment only grew.
The Pacers didn't really have much of a choice. Siakam immediately became their most important player (and best player, depending on where you rank him and Haliburton anyway), and they essentially had to rely on him to do a bit more as the team's first option for this season.
Even so, this move didn't come without risks.
Siakam is turning 32 years old in April, and he hasn't been the clear-cut leader of a team in multiple years since he was with the Toronto Raptors. Putting too much pressure on him at this stage, especially for a full season when making a deep playoff run isn't the Pacers' main priority, could backfire. They would risk fatigue, injury, and potentially worsening their long-term outlook.
Fortunately for Indiana, everything has worked out for the team as the Cameroon native is proving that they were right to make this decision as he is in the midst of a stellar season.
Pascal Siakam is playing great basketball right now
Siakam was an All-Star last season, but he maybe putting together a better campaign this season.
In his first 22 games of the season, the New Mexico State alum averaged 24.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 48.2% from the field and 37% from beyond the arc. He is playing well in every area on the court. And though it's not leading to much team success, the Pacers should be thrilled with the way he's playing.
Siakam is proving that the Pacers can step up when the team needs him to. The team put a ton of pressure on him heading into the season, and that only grew given the plethora of injuries they dealt with early in the campaign. But even so, he is playing incredibly well and is further showcasing exactly what he brings to the table.
It likely won't matter much this season as a deep playoff run is likely not in Indiana's future in 2026, but knowing that Siakam can elevate his game this much should make the team feel confident in its long-term outlook.
Once Haliburton returns, the Pacers are going to be ready to re-establish themselves as a title contender. And if Siakam keeps up this level of play moving forward, he will continue to be a crucial part of Indiana's success.