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Why Golden State Warriors trade for Pascal Siakam failed, they had to trade two players they wrongly kept

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 3:36 PM ET

The Golden State Warriors could have added Pascal Siakam to their ranks, but chose to keep two players who ended up leaving anyway.

Pascal Siakam has been on a generational playoff run this year. Despite winning an NBA championship and earning All-Star honors with the Toronto Raptors, Siakam hadn’t been considered a star-level player.

But this year, with the Indiana Pacers, Siakam is reminding fans that he is no flash in the pan. Many believe he has been the Pacers’ best player during this run.

In Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Siakam put the Pacers on his back, leading them to a brilliant win to extend the series to seven games.

This was his mission from the start of the season. In fact, Obi Toppin revealed Siakam invited the Pacers players to his house for a meeting last year to set the tone for the year to come.

Had things gone differently, Siakam could have been doing the same on the Golden State Warriors. But the Warriors passed on that opportunity for a few different reasons.

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Golden State Warriors had opportunity to trade for Pascal Siakam last year

Last season, as the Golden State Warriors looked to fight for a playoff spot, they were considering making some changes to their roster.

NBA insider Marc J. Spears proposed the Warriors potentially trading Andrew Wiggins and Chris Paul for Pascal Siakam in January of 2024.

“I like a potential Pascal Siakam trade. The Warriors definitely need a No. 2 scorer; he could be that. He’s had a great season.

“To do that, though, it’s going to hit you. You’re probably going to have to trade Kuminga to do that. Wiggins, I was told by a GM that there’s not a lot of value for Wiggins right now, although you can package him and Kuminga together.

“You can package Kuminga and CP to make it happen. But the Warriors desperately need to make a trade, and that’s one of them they can do.”

Warriors didn’t want to trade Jonathan Kuminga

There was more smoke to the fire of Siakam to the Warriors than just a proposed trade. Even NBA insider Chris Haynes had said that the Warriors were a contender to land Pascal Siakam.

“The Golden State Warriors… What’s going on over there? There’s some turmoil going on over there. Not just Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody.

“Right now, the Warriors are trying to figure out what to do with Moses Moody. … All is not well in the Bay Area right now. So, Pascal Siakam, I was told, could end up being on the Golden State Warriors’ radar.”

The Golden State Warriors are a team to watch for Pascal Siakam

“There’s a wild horse team out there that I’ve been told to look out for by rival executives…The Golden State Warriors… I do think ultimately, this will be the trade deadline where Pascal is eventually moved… pic.twitter.com/axOKpOVupc
— BASKETBALL ON (@BASKETBALLonX) January 5, 2024

But a deal ultimately didn’t materialize. The Warriors reportedly didn’t want to trade Kuminga at all. So instead, they stayed firm at the trade deadline, while the Indiana Pacers made a move to land him.

Instead, they kept hold of Chris Paul and Jonathan Kuminga, before waiving Paul at the end of the season. Despite keeping him this year, Kuminga looks set to leave the Warriors this offseason.

One of the concerns for the Warriors would have been committing long-term to Siakam, as that would demand a lot of money.

But given the playoff success Siakam has led the Pacers to since the trade, one would argue that the money would have been worth it.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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