One NBA writer believes the Indiana Pacers should try to trade for Toronto Raptors All-Star forward Pascal Siakam this offseason.
Joe Lyon of Fansided listed eight players he would like to see the Pacers try to acquire, which included OG Anunoby, Jarrett Allen, Deandre Ayton, Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale, John Collins, Pascal Siakam, and Matisse Thybulle.
“All of these players have been linked to trade rumors, and many of them would greatly improve the Indiana Pacers (I’m looking at you OG Anunoby). But many of them would also prove costly needing to move multiple first-rounders for many of the best players on the list,” Lyon wrote. “We will see if the Indiana Pacers front office is wanting to move draft assets or actually use them in the coming drafts.”
Siakam signed a four-year, $136 million rookie contract extension with the Raptors in October 2019. He has one year left on his contract. The 29-year-old will make $37.9 million in 2023-24.
Siakam averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists this season for the Raptors while shooting 48.0% from the field, 32.4% from beyond the arc and 77.4% from the free-throw line. The Raptors could enter rebuild mode this offseason after firing head coach Nick Nurse. Toronto lost the 9-10 play-in game to the Chicago Bulls and didn’t make the playoffs this year.
Meanwhile, the Pacers could be aggressive on the trade market this offseason since they need to surround All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton with more talent. Indiana won only 35 games this season, finishing in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings, one spot behind a potential play-in berth.
The Pacers haven’t made the playoffs since 2020.
Haliburton is one of the best players in the NBA. The 23-year-old averaged 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists this season while shooting 49.0% from the field, 40.0% from beyond the arc and 87.1% from the free-throw line. Haliburton recorded 32 double-doubles in 56 games.
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