Pacers acquiring All-Star forward Pascal Siakam raises the team's floor and ceiling
Pacers acquiring All-Star forward Pascal Siakam raises the team's floor and ceiling
The Indiana Pacers have desperately needed a 6-foot-8 wing for many years. Finally, they were able to swing a deal with the Toronto Raptors to pair Siakam with Haliburton on a team rising in the East.
The Indiana Pacers went big-game hunting and are filling their biggest hole on the team via trade.
After months of on-and-off conversations, the Pacers have reached agreement with the Toronto Raptors on a deal that brings 6-foot-8 forward Pascal Siakam to Indiana, league sources confirmed to Fieldhouse Files.
As part of the deal, the Pacers are sending Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three future first-round picks to the Raptors. And in order to make the transaction possible under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, they’re acquiring Kira Lewis Jr. ($5.7 million) and a future second-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans — then including him in the bigger deal with Toronto.
The trade cannot be completed and made official until all players pass their physicals. Siakam plans to fly to Indianapolis for his, then join the Pacers in Portland, league sources said.
Siakam has been atop the Pacers’ wish list for a while now. I reported in July at NBA Summer League how they had made calls about him and communicated their interest in the two-time All-Star to the Raptors. They checked in with about a half-dozen teams about their big wings. They also had serious interest in OG Anunoby until the very end, according to league sources, but the Raptors ultimately moved him to New York a few weeks ago.