While the New York Knicks were the first team to strike as the NBA Trade deadline approaches, the Indiana Pacers may have one-upped them yesterday.
Indiana worked out a three-team trade to acquire Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. The Pacers also received a future second-round draft from New Orleans.
The Pelicans will send a 2024 second-round pick to the Pacers in three-team deal, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 17, 2024
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The Pacers sent Bruce Brown, Kira Lewis (via New Orleans), Jordan Nwora, two 2024 first-round selections, and a 2026 first-rounder (top-4 protected) to Toronto. They sent cash to the Pelicans for Lewis.
Indiana Pacers Rumors: What Is Next For the Pacers After 3-Way Blockbuster Trade
Indiana is looking to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. The Pacers sit seventh in the Eastern Conference at 23-17. The Pacers have been playing well lately, going 7-3 over their last 10, though they have lost two straight.
However, Indiana has been looking for a tough starting power forward for a while, even though they traded for Obi Toppin and No. 8 pick Jarace Walker, who was drafted by Washington but dealt to the Pacers on draft day.
“Toppin has delivered jolts of energy for Indy’s high-powered offense but too often has been vulnerable on defense, while Walker hasn’t yet been ready for prime time, The Athletic’s John Hollinger said when talking about what the Pacers could do at the trade deadline. “As a result, Indy could go shopping with expiring contracts (Bruce Brown or Buddy Hield), young players, and/or picks to get another elite running mate for emerging superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton.”
An elite running mate for Haliburton is exactly what they got in Siakam.
Despite getting off to a slow start, the two-time all-star is putting up his usual numbers. He is struggling shooting a little from 16 feet and out while not rebounding the ball as usual.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Pascal to Indiana,” said president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard. “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 our style of play, while his defensive versatility will be a valuable asset to our team.”
What Indiana Gave Up
Indiana is one of the league’s deepest teams and didn’t have to give up any of their depth to acquire Siakam.
Brown, who has a team option for next season, did start at small forward for the Pacers and put up solid numbers. But Brown is not close to being the player that Siakam is, and he struggled on the defensive end, which he is known for.
Nwora is a scorer who had his best season last year with the Pacers. But he is an end-of-the-bench type player. The 25-year-old forward, on an expiring contract, averaged 10 minutes over 18 appearances this season.
Indiana is giving up two first-rounders this year. But neither one figures to be a lottery pick in what is projected to be a weak draft. The Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder also figure to make the playoffs.
Grade A
This trade is a very low-risk, high-reward trade. Siakam is expected to hit the open market this year, and the Pacers have no guarantees of re-signing him. Siakam is expected to seek a maximum contract when he is a free agent.
But if the Pacers can retain him, it will be a home run, as they gave up very little in return.
Brown is a solid rotational player, but not a guy worth $45 million over two seasons. The two first-round picks headed to Toronto this year have little projected value. The 2026 pick has limited protections, but if Indiana can re-sign Siakam, it will be at least even in value.
The following are ESPN’s Kevin Pelton’s thoughts on the trade.
There’s little question that adding Siakam will make Indiana a better team. He fills a positional need and is athletic enough to replace the high-percentage finishing the Pacers were getting from their forward options while simultaneously adding shot creation and playmaking and upgrading Indiana’s defense. The Pacers will get bigger by sliding 6-foot-8 Siakam to the 3 at times in place of 6-4 Brown, who didn’t make the kind of impact Indiana was hoping after adding him in free agency.
The real bar for this trade is whether Siakam will improve the Pacers enough to justify throwing in many of their chips. That starts with the three draft picks, a rarity for Indiana. The risk-averse Pacers previously traded away their first-round pick ahead of the draft only once in the past decade: in 2020, when they used what became the No. 24 pick to acquire Malcolm Brogdon in a sign-and-trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Because Indiana had an extra pick coming from a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder last June — the worst of the first-rounders Oklahoma City owns this year, currently the Thunder’s own at No. 29 — the Pacers were able to complete this deal without dipping too far into their own draft picks. Indiana is hoping adding Siakam assures sending Toronto a non-lottery pick this season.
Indiana has to re-sign Siakam this summer to make this deal worth it. Because he was traded, Siakam no longer qualifies for a supermax contract, but even a regular max (a projected $260 million over five years, assuming the largest possible 10% increase in the NBA’s salary cap). would be pricey for a player who will be 30 in April. Adding a player of Siakam’s caliber via free agency was always going to be challenging for Indiana because of the combination of a smaller, colder market and the limited number of star players who make it to free agency unrestricted. At the same time, the Pacers now run the risk of overpaying Siakam to justify giving up multiple first-round picks.
What’s Next For The Pacers
Indiana has 13 players on its roster as they waived James Johnson to open up a roster spot to acquire Lewis. Teams can’t carry fewer than 14 players on standard deals for more than 14 days, so they’ll have two weeks to add a 14th man.
Johnson appeared in five games and saw 24 total minutes of action this year. While the 36-year-old forward is past his prime, he still provides leadership, toughness, and depth, which is why it is not surprising that the Pacers want to bring him back, according to Sports Illustrated’s Tony East.
Pacers hope to keep James Johnson if he clears waivers. There is perhaps no better endorsement of his off-court value than that fact. It would be his fourth fully guaranteed contract in 16 months!
— Tony East (@TonyREast) January 17, 2024
Even if Indiana does re-sign Johnson, the Pacers will still have one open spot. Their 15th spot likely won’t be filled until after the trade deadline or possibly before the buyout period ends, allowing the player who is bought out the ability to play in the postseason.
The Pacers are the deepest team in the league. However, it will still be hard for them to make another move after getting Siakam and trying to convince him that Indianapolis is a place to make his home (at least in terms of hoops).
However, .T..J. McConnell‘s name has been thrown around in trade discussions, but he is too valuable to trade this season. Hield may be an option, as he will be an unrestricted free agent. Hield and the Pacers weren’t able to agree on an extension before the start of the campaign.
The Pacers may also be willing to move either Jalen Smith or Toppin, via a package deal with Hield for a big who is a defensive specialist. Or add a player who gets bought out who is known for his defense.