The Toronto Raptors took another major step in their retooling efforts by trading Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers for a package that includes Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round draft picks, both teams announced Wednesday.
Siakam, 29, is a two-time all-star forward who has spent his entire eight-year career with the Raptors. The 2016 first-round pick was a major developmental success story for Toronto, where he emerged as a starter on the Raptors’ 2019 championship team.
With the Pacers, Siakam will join all-star guard Tyrese Haliburton in an up-tempo offense that ranks first in the NBA efficiency. Siakam, a native of Cameroon, will also give the Pacers a long and versatile frontcourt defender to pair with center Myles Turner.
“Pascal is a player that our organization has long admired and respected,” Pacers President Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. “We feel that his unique offensive skill set will complement our style of play, while his defensive versatility will be a valuable asset to our team.”
Toronto’s decision to part with Siakam, who is seeking a long-term contract extension this summer, comes less than three weeks after the Raptors traded forward OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks for guards RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. After parting with Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet in recent years, the Raptors (15-25), who sit outside the Eastern Conference’s play-in picture, have chosen to play for the future by constructing a younger roster around 2021 lottery pick Scottie Barnes.
“This is a time of change for our team," Raptors President Masai Ujiri said in a statement. “Bruce is a world champion, and we look forward to his two-way play and added toughness on the court. We continue the work of getting better every day, and continue moving forward in our quest to win here in Toronto.”
The Pacers (23-17), meanwhile, sit in sixth place in the East and are gearing up for their first playoff appearance since 2020. Siakam’s two-way impact fits a clear need given Indiana’s defensive woes, and the Pacers boast strong long-term salary cap flexibility given that Haliburton is the only significant investment on their roster.
Siakam is earning $37.9 million this season in the final year of his contract and will become eligible for a five-year, $247 million deal this summer.
Brown, a 27-year-old guard who was a key reserve on the Denver Nuggets’ championship team last season, was signed by the Pacers in the summer to a two-year, $45 million contract. The Raptors will hold a team option for 2024-25 and could generate additional salary cap flexibility by allowing him to enter free agency.