How drastic will the Indiana Pacers' team-building decision get during a retooling "gap" year, sans injured All-NBA superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton?
That's the question plaguing fans and pundits alike. The 6-foot-5 Iowa State product tore his Achilles tendon in the first quarter of a pivotal Game 7 in the NBA Finals earlier this summer. Indiana has already ruled out Haliburton, the team's best player, for the entire forthcoming 2025-26 season.
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Enzo Flojo of ClutchPoints opines that, depending on their appetite for this, the Pacers could potentially get so bold as to offload the contract of the club's second-best player this season.
2 way-too-early Indiana Pacers trade candidates in 2025-26 seasonhttps://t.co/kr7rr1nYG6
— Pacers Nation (@PacersNationCP) August 9, 2025
Describing three-time All-Star power forward Pascal Siakam, 31, as a "win-now" star who's saddled on a team that will absolutely not win a title this year, Flojo notes that the 6-foot-8 vet could fetch a pretty significant return were he to be dealt this year.
"Pascal Siakam’s arrival in Indiana transformed the Pacers from a nice story into a genuine contender," Flojo notes. "His two-way play, positional versatility, and proven playoff chops helped fuel back-to-back conference finals runs and that magical [2025] Finals trip. He averaged 20.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.2 steals in last year’s postseason. That cemented his status as the perfect co-star for Haliburton."
Siakam elevated Indiana's upside to true title hopeful, and he could certainly do that elsewhere.
"However, with Haliburton sidelined and the team’s competitive ceiling lowered, Siakam’s $45.55 million cap hit in 2025 suddenly looms large," Flojo cautions. "At 31, he’s firmly in his prime. That said, the Pacers may be heading toward a soft reset. Flipping Siakam now could bring back valuable young talent or multiple future picks. That would allow Indiana to reshape its roster before Haliburton’s return."
But where will Siakam go? Flojo floats some potential fits, all with different levels of potential return hauls.
"There will be a market. Contenders desperate for an elite forward who can create, defend, and thrive in the postseason will line up. This means teams like Sacramento, Miami, or Philadelphia."
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Would the Heat go all-in on the Kel'el Ware experience and offload All-Star big man Bam Adebayo for Siakam? Miami definitely has some fascinating players and solid draft equity, while the 76ers have some solid young players. The Kings trade fit for Siakam is a bit more of an open question, although perhaps a Domantas Sabonis reunion or a Zach LaVine deal could make some sense.
"For Indiana, it’s the classic ‘sell high' scenario," Flojo asserts. "The question is whether the front office will cling to nostalgia from their Finals run or cash in before Siakam’s value inevitably declines."
For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.
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