On Wednesday, the Indiana Pacers acquired forward Pascal Siakam in a trade with the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors get Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three first-round draft picks in the trade. Two of the first-round picks that the Raptors got are for 2024, while the other is for 2026.
In a separate trade, the New Orleans Pelicans sent Kira Lewis Jr. and a 2024 second-round pick to the Pacers, who sent Lewis to the Raptors, according to ESPN.
"I'm excited that Pascal is getting a first-class opportunity with the Pacers, being paired with Tyrese [Haliburton] and Myles [Turner] and being coached by a great coach in Rick Carlisle," Siakam's agent, Todd Ramasar, told Andscape."His future looks bright there."
Siakam has spent his entire career with the Raptors. He has an expiring contract of nearly $38 million and could be a free agent in July. This season, he is averaging 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. He is a two-time All-Star and won a championship with the Raptors in 2019.
This trade is good for both the Raptors and the Pacers. The Raptors are looking to the future, and their future looks bright after this trade. With Brown, Nwora, and the draft picks, along with Immanuel Quickly and RJ Barrett, who they got in the OG Anunoby trade, the Raptors will be contenders for years to come. As for the Pacers, Siakam will be able to help them offensively, as he is good around the perimeter. Siakam is shooting 52.2 percent from the field this season. The Pacers' defense hasn’t been great this season, and Siakam will help improve their defense. He will be able to guard other power forwards like him, which the Pacers need.
The Pacers are 23-17 and currently in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images)