The Indiana Pacers and Toronto
Raptors have completed a deal that will send forward Pascal Siakam
to Indiana, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of
ESPN.
The deal sends the two-time
All-Star and All-NBA selection to the Pacers, while Toronto
receives Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round picks. The
Raptors will also receive Kira Lewis from the New Orleans Pelicans,
who will send a second-round pick to the Pacers.
This news comes after the
Sacramento Kings backed out of the Siakam sweepstakes after he
showed little interest in re-signing with the team after the
season.
Siakam, who is earning $29
million this year, is set to be an unrestricted free agent this
summer. He’s reportedly open to staying in Indiana beyond this
season.
Tyrese Haliburton notably
lobbied for stars to join him in Indy, and the Pacers just added
one who should fit perfectly alongside their young star.
Siakam is averaging 22 points
and should help a Pacers’ offense that’s already ranked No. 1 in
the league and gets out in transition, while also adding another
dimension by producing in the halfcourt. In a potential playoff
setting where teams shrink the floor and defenses get tighter and
prevent teams from getting out in the open court, the Pacers can
benefit from Siakam’s half-court creation.
Indiana dealing Brown comes as
somewhat of a surprise since the Pacers just signed the 6-foot-4
guard/forward to a three-year, $60 million deal over the
offseason. Brown, a 2023 NBA
champion with the Denver Nuggets, is currently averaging 12.1
points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
The Pacers are currently 23-17,
which is tied for the sixth-best record in the Eastern
Conference.
