'It's a great trade': Charles Barkley weighs in on Pascal Siakam deal
The Indiana Pacers catapulted themselves into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference after acquiring Pascal Siakam on Wednesday from the Toronto Raptors. In the trade, Indiana sent three first-round picks, Bruce Brown and Jordan Nwora to the Raptors.
"This ain't a good trade for the Pacers, it's a great trade," Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said on TNT. "I love what they are doing in Indiana... You're only afraid of the Boston Celtics. You're not afraid of the Bucks. We own the Bucks. We beat them pretty much every time we played them this year."
Indiana has won four of five games against Milwaukee this season.
Alongside rising star Tyrese Haliburton, Siakam forms a dangerous one-two punch that poses a significant threat to defenses. He is averaging 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists.
Per Cleaning the Glass, Indiana boasts the No. 1 offense in the NBA, averaging 122.5 points per 100 possessions. The addition of Siakam should elevate the already-potent attack, especially in the postseason.
In the playoffs, the pick-and-roll is an effective strategy, and now Haliburton has the luxury of executing it effectively with Siakam and Myles Turner. This combination presents a daunting challenge for any Eastern Conference team looking to contain Indiana's dynamic offense.
However, the Pacers are 27th on defense, allowing 121.1 points per 100 possessions, placing them ahead of only the Charlotte Hornets (8-30), Detroit Pistons (4-37) and Washington Wizards (7-33). Trading Brown, who was Indiana's best on-ball defender, could exacerbate the team's issues on defense.
The acquisition of Siakam undoubtedly raises the ceiling of Indiana, particularly on offense. As Barkley noted, the deal is great for the Pacers, but they still will struggle against the Celtics, who have the No. 2-ranked defense in the NBA.
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