He's only played in four games since the All-Star break and is currently dealing with a right knee sprain with less than a month left in the season, but according to Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, fans should expect to see Pascal Siakam back on the court soon (h/t Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star).
"Carlisle said Siakam is making progress but doesn't know when he's going to return. Said it is his opinion that Siakam will play again at some point this season," Dopirak wrote on X.
From the beginning of the season through January, Siakam missed just two games (and even those were just for rest purposes). However, with Indiana now officially out of playoff contention and currently the owner of the worst record in the NBA, it seems evident that it is prioritizing keeping the four-time All-Star as healthy as possible.
What would Pascal Siakam's return mean for the Pacers?
From a purely basketball perspective, Siakam potentially returning this season won't make much of a (positive) difference for the Pacers. It actually might be a bad thing completely, given that the winning games from here on out might actually be more detrimental than helpful because of the draft lottery.
But from an emotional or sentimental perspective, it would be a breath of fresh air for Indiana fans to see the Cameroon native back on the court.
Siakam has been the biggest (and maybe the only) silver lining for the Pacers this season. Even though the team has played poorly and isn't even close to what they have been the past couple of seasons, Siakam still gave it his all and reminded everybody just how dominant he can still be.
In 55 games, the soon-to-be 32-year-old has averaged 24 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 48.4% from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc. He is putting together one of the best seasons of his NBA career, and seeing him back on the court to end the year strong would be a welcome sight for the Pacers fans who have really gone through it over the past several months.
Pascal Siakam will be a big part of the Pacers' plans moving forward
Regardless of what happens this season, Pacers fans should feel confident about Siakam making a big impact on the team moving forward.
Once they get Tyrese Haliburton back on the court next season, the Pacers will be ready to re-establish themselves as a legitimate title contender and could make some serious noise in a mostly open Eastern Conference.
And in order for them to make it back to the finals and finish what they started last year, it will be all hands on deck, which especially includes Siakam.