With Tyrese Haliburton likely missing all of next season due to an Achilles injury, and now with Myles Turner leaving the team after 10 years, the Indiana Pacers' championship window has drastically changed, and it is fair to wonder what Pascal Siakam's future with the team now looks like.
Ever since they traded for Siakam from the Toronto Raptors last year, he has elevated the Pacers on both sides of the ball and has been crucial to their success. Without him, the Pacers don't make two consecutive finals appearances, and they don't take the best team in the league to seven games in the NBA Finals. However, the Pacers are likely not going to be competing for a title next year, and it is going to take some time before they find a legitimate replacement for Turner.
Siakam is already 31 years old. With the Pacers rostering quite a few intriguing young prospects, it could be in the team's best interest to prioritize their development over keeping Siakam around for the long haul, especially when they are unlikely to compete for a title any time soon. This isn't to say the Pacers need to add the Cameroon native to the trade block or anything, but it is likely going to be a long time before they return to the big stage, and by that point, Siakam's best days may already be well behind him.
Pascal Siakam was crucial to the Pacers' NBA Finals run
Had the Pacers held on to win Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, there is no doubt that the Finals MVP award would have gone to Siakam. He was by far their most consistent player in the series, and Indiana would not have made it as far as they did without his contributions.
In the seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the former NBA Champion averaged 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.3 blocks. Additionally, he shot 45.4% from the field and 35.7% from beyond the arc. He was fantastic in the series and played a huge role in every level of the game.
Siakam has already cemented himself as an all-time great Pacer in just 1.5 seasons. However, when the Pacers acquired him, it was to push themselves even closer to title contention. They did exactly that, but times are changing in Indiana.
By the point Haliburton returns (assuming he does miss all of next season), Siakam will be nearly 33 years old and have just two years remaining on his four-year, $189 million contract. The Pacers still have a bright future ahead of them, even with Turner's departure. However, it may be in the best interest of both sides for the Pacers to trade Siakam down the line if there is a deal worth making as he may not fit their timeline anymore.
With a gap year on the horizon, the Pacers will have a huge opportunity to experiment a little bit and see who or what works or doesn't. This will include seeing what their young forwards are capable of, because while it may not be the case at this very moment, any one of them could be auditioning to take over Siakam's spot in due time.