Look out for the Pacers.
Already one of the most fun teams in the league, their addition of forward Pascal Siakam makes them downright scary.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Thursday afternoon that the Pacers, Raptors and Pelicans completed a three-team deal to send Siakam to Indianapolis for guard Bruce Brown, forward Jordan Nwora and three first-round picks. The Pelicans sent Kira Lewis Jr. to the Raptors and a second-round pick to the Pacers, putting the team under the luxury tax and saving them $18M, according to ESPN NBA front office insider Bobby Marks.
For the Pacers, the move solidifies their commitment to their promising core led by point guard Tyrese Haliburton. Trading three first-rounders is significant, but losing those won’t hurt as much if Haliburton and Siakam keep Indiana out of the lottery.
While Brown was a valuable offseason addition after winning a championship with the Nuggets, Siakam should raise the team’s floor.
The Pacers (23-17, sixth in the Eastern Conference) entered Thursday on a two-game losing streak and tied with the Knicks for the sixth seed. They’re also only one game back of the Cavaliers for fourth.
Risk is attached to the deal. As Marks noted, Siakam is on an expiring contract. Wojnarowski quelled any concern for the Pacers by reporting that the former Raptors star is “eager to work out a new contract with the franchise this summer.”
The fit makes a ton of sense. Siakam is a versatile front-court scoring threat who is shooting 52.2 percent from the field and averaging 22.2 points per game in 39 games this season.
Per Cleaning The Glass , in Toronto, the lineup with Siakam at center, along with Dennis Schroder, Gary Trent Jr., O.G. Anunoby and Scottie Barnes, ranked third in points per possession among lineups with at least 100 possessions.
The Pacers have the No. 1 offense in basketball, and Haliburton averages a league-high 12.5 assists per game. He already has a strong two-man game with center Myles Turner, who attempts 70.2 percent of his field goals without a dribble, and it’s easy to imagine Haliburton finding Siakam for similarly easy looks.
With Indiana’s strong start to the season, including a run to the in-season tournament finals in Las Vegas, the front office owed it to the team to swing big at this year’s trade deadline. The expectations have changed for the Pacers, and Siakam is the perfect addition to reaching their goals.
