Indiana’s league-best offense just got more dangerous because Tyrese Haliburton has an elite new running mate.
The Pacers got their guy, trading for All-NBA wing Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors in a three-way deal that previously had been reported as close, and was officially broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and quickly confirmed by Siakam’s agent. Toronto will get three first-round picks and Bruce Brown from the Pacers in the deal, plus a second-rounder and Kira Lewis from the Pelicans.
Siakam is a free agent after this season but Indiana now has his Bird Rights and is in the driver’s seat to re-sign him — there is no chance Indiana would have surrendered three first-round picks in this deal without some understanding he would stay in Indiana. The Pacers can now offer him a fifth season that no other team can. His max would be five years, $248 million, although most around the league expect a deal just below the max.
“I’m excited that Pascal is getting a first class opportunity with the Pacers, being paired with Tyrese and Myles and being coached by a great coach in Rick Carlisle. His future their looks bright there,” Pascal Siakam’s agent Todd Ramasar tells @andscape about trade to Pacers.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) January 17, 2024
Indiana has a historically good offense and the best in the NBA this season — a 121.6 offensive rating that would be the highest in NBA history — with Haliburton leading the up-tempo attack. Siakam fits well on the wing next to Haliburton, he thrives in transition plus can create his own shot in the halfcourt. Siakam is averaging 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game this season.
In this trade the Pacers hold on to sharpshooter Buddy Hield — who may be needed, Siakam is not a floor spacer, shooting 32.7% from 3 for his career — as well as young stars Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker and Aaron Nesmith.
These are three non-lottery picks going back to Toronto: The Pacers 2024, the worst of the picks of 2024 first-round picks of Oklahoma City, Utah, Houston or the Los Angeles Clippers (likely the Thunder pick), and the Pacers 2026 first-round pick (top four protected). Toronto adds a solid wing player in Brown, a nice young player from the Pacers in Jordan Nwora, and they also Lewis from the Pelicans and a second-round pick.
Don’t be surprised if the Raptors flip Brown in another trade before the deadline.
All those picks give the Raptors a chance to load up on young talent to put with Scottie Barnes as they retool the roster, but this was also not the haul they were hoping for — they got more of OG Anunoby (RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley from the Knicks).
What the Pelicans get out of this is money — they move under the luxury tax line by trading Lewis. New Orleans also gets cash considerations from the Pacers.
