Only a couple of days after the NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers are ready to improve and did just that as the team was able to lock up one of their top players. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pacers have agreed to a new four-year, $189.5 million contract with All-NBA forward Pascal Siakam.
Siakam joined the Indiana Pacers back in January when he was traded from the Toronto Raptors as he and a future second-round pick via the New Orleans Pelicans were traded for Bruce Brown, Kira Lewis, Jordan Nwora, two first-round picks and a conditional 2026 first-round pick.
When discussing the trade as it happened, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard explained why they made the move in a statement.
“As a two-time All-NBA selection and two-time NBA All-Star, Pascal is a player that our organization has long admired and respected. We feel that his unique offensive skillset will complement ur style of play, while his defensive versatility will be a valuable asset to our team.”
Pascal Siakam played all 17 games in the postseason with the Pacers and finished with 21.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks in 35.5 minutes per game. With the core of point guard Tyrese Haliburton, forward Pascal Siakam and center Myles Turner all under contract for next season, it is expected to see this team compete in the Eastern Conference for a full season.
What does this mean for the Indiana Pacers going forward?
The Indiana Pacers are in an interesting spot in a weaker Eastern Conference. The team is dealing with three stars and if they can stay healthy, this team can be a top-five team in the conference. Indiana led the NBA with 123.3 points per game during the regular season and now have three top 30 players in the sport.
With the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks and possibly the Miami Heat all competing for the top team in the conference, this signing makes the Toronto Raptors trade worth it even more. This Pacers team has extended its potential window and needs to figure out how to survive and hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy during Siakam’s contract.
About the Author
Vincent Pensabene graduated from Saint Leo University in 2019 with a B.A. in Sport Business and has focused on the media side of sports. He writes for multiple publications and is interested in the reasoning of why things happen. Feel free to follow him on social media @TalkVinTalk and discuss all things sports.
