Some fans may have forgotten how good Pascal Siakam really is. Next season, he will prove to everybody exactly how dominant he can be, and that should terrify the rest of the league.
With Tyrese Haliburton on the shelf and Myles Turner with the Milwaukee Bucks, a lot of pressure will be on Pascal Siakam to take another step forward for the Indiana Pacers. This may seem like a tall task, but the Cameroon native has already been incredible for the Pacers since the team acquired him in 2024, and fans have no reason to think he won't be able to turn it up another level.
Pascal Siakam has been great in Indiana so far
Siakam has only spent one full season with the Pacers up to this point, but he has already established himself as one of the franchise's most important players in recent history.
The Pacers have a great team (when fully healthy), even taking Siakam out of the equation, but it's no secret that he has been incredibly valuable to their success ever since they traded for him from the Toronto Raptors.
Without Siakam in the mix, Indiana likely does not make it to two consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, and they almost certainly would not have made it to the NBA Finals in 2025. The former NBA Champion has greatly impacted the Pacers at every level of the game, and this was especially notable during Indiana's 2025 playoff run.
Siakam took home the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award after averaging 24.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 14 steals while shooting 52.4% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc in a six-game series win against the New York Knicks. Furthermore, had the Pacers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, it is safe to assume that Siakam would have taken home the NBA Finals MVP award.
It is fair to say that Haliburton is at least the Pacers' most important player. He is especially crucial to their success, and he is the engine of their high-powered, fast-paced offense. However, there is a fair conversation to be had about whether he is "better" than Siakam.
Siakam is arguably Indiana's most consistent and well-rounded player on the roster. He may not be as flashy as guys like Haliburton, but he makes a big impact nonetheless, and he will look to continue to do so next season.
The Pacers have their backs up against the wall heading into next season. They will be without Haliburton and Turner, and it will be incredibly difficult for the team to go on another deep playoff run. However, they can still be a solid team, especially in a wide-open Eastern Conference, and they should still be a team for fans to keep an eye on throughout the season.
Next season, players like Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin may take over the Pacers headlines as they look to have a career year, given their expanded roles. Additionally, Indiana's center situation will also be worth monitoring as they navigate through life without Turner. However, it also should not be lost that Siakam is also going to be an important player to keep an eye on as he looks to remind the basketball world exactly who he is and what he can do as a leader.