The Toronto Raptors and the Indiana Pacers are engaged in trade talks regarding All-Star forward Pascal Siakam. The Raptors are offering Siakam centered around package for Bruce Brown, 3 first-round picks and additional players for matching salary. The report came from Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Siakam has been on trade block for some time as the Raptors are entering a rebuilding stage after allowing Fred VanVleet to leave the team the past summer, and trading forward OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks. Siakam, 29, averaging 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists this season on 52 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent from deep.
The Pacers are on the rise after multiple seasons of registering losing records with Tyrese Haliburton elevating to a superstar caliber player. They are sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 23-17 record having won 9 of their last 12 and looking to improve their roster amid Tyrese Haliburton absence.
Haliburton will be re-evaluated after January 21 as the Pacers’ maestro suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain in the game against Boston on January 8. Siakam will boost their hopes regarding of the additional time Haliburton might miss after the evaluation. As Sham Charania reports, the Raptors, and Pacers are far away from an agreement at this point.
Other NBA teams interested in Pascal Siakam
The Toronto Raptors have struggled to begin the year, sitting at 15-25 on the season. Recently, they were rumors that the Sacramento Kings were engaged in trade talks regarding the Cameroonian forward, however, the Raptors never came to an agreement and the Kings backed off a potential deal.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that Siakam who is on the last year of his current deal, was unwilling to sign an extension if he was traded to Sacramento and that’s the reason the Kings pulled out from the talks. There are several teams searching for upgrade going into the NBA trade deadline with the Warriors and the Mavericks being cited as potential suitors.
In any case, Siakam could also remain in his current team sitting at the at $38 million and waiting for the summer to gauze the interest for him in the market. In that case, The Athletic reports that the Raptors might opt to re-sign the All-Star forward and maybe trade him away after. At 29 years-old, Siakam will likely demand a max extension.
Developing: The Raptors and Pacers are in active talks on a trade centered on two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam for package that includes three first-round picks, league sources say.
Full details at @TheAthletic with @sam_amick: https://t.co/o925VL5r3g
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 17, 2024
