Pascal Siakam has taken on a huge role with the Indiana Pacers, but it may be even bigger than most anticipated.
After Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury that will sideline him for the entire season, everybody knew Siakam would be in line for a bigger opportunity as the Pacers' main offensive focus. This expectation only increased once center Myles Turner joined the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency.
However, nobody could have expected that the Cameroon native would have as much pressure on him as he does amid all the injuries Indiana has dealt with.
In addition to Haliburton and Turner, the Pacers have mostly been without numerous other key players from last season's NBA Finals team. This includes players like Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, and T.J. McConnell, who are dealing with their own injuries that have forced them to miss some time.
Because of this, a lot more is on Siakam's plate to deliver. And according to some, the Pacers star may be carrying the heaviest burden of any player in the NBA. Just ask The Ringer's Zach Lowe.
"Pascal Siakam, someone send that dude some flowers. Send him some candy. Send him whatever his favorite treats are. I don't think anyone in the league is carrying a heavier burden right now than Pascal Siakam, including Giannis [Antetokounmpo]," Lowe said during an episode of "The Zach Lowe Show."
Pascal Siakam has made the most of this opportunity
Being essentially Indiana's only real threat on offense outside of Aaron Nesmith, it should be incredibly difficult for Siakam to perform consistently. It becomes much easier for opposing defenses to key in on him. But so far, he has played at an exceptional level.
In nine games so far this season, Siakam is averaging 24.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 steals. His efficiency has taken a bit of a hit as he is shooting just 43.7% from the field and 32.6% from deep. But given how much is being asked of him to generate his own shots as the team's primary option, this should be expected.
So much is on Siakam right now that Indiana even had to give him a night off on Sunday against the Golden State Warriors.
It is highly unlikely that the Pacers will be competitive this season. They already had all odds stacked against them, and their 1-9 start to the campaign is not doing them any favors. But still, there is a lot to look be excited about in Indiana.
Siakam has long been one of the most underrated stars in the NBA, especially since his trade to the Pacers in 2024, but he seems to finally be putting the basketball world on notice again. It may not lead to much success for Indiana right now, but his resurgence should give the team and fans confidence for their outlook past this season.
The 31-year-old won't have this type of workload the rest of the season, especially as Indiana gets healthier. However, Siakam is reminding the world exactly what he's capable of, and that's all he and the fans can ask for right now.