5 winners and losers from Pascal Siakam's reported trade rumors
Pascal Siakam is expected to move on from the Toronto Raptors and join another team very soon. According to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Raptors have engaged in talks with the Indiana Pacers for a Siakam trade and the two sides are actively pursuing a deal as soon as possible:
"The Raptors and Pacers are actively engaged in trade talks centered around two-time All-Star forward Pascal Siakam that would send him to Indiana for a package that includes Bruce Brown Jr., other salaries and three first-round draft picks," Charania and Amick write, per Hoop Central.
With the possibility of the two sides reaching an agreement soon, here's a look at five winners and losers from the Siakam trade rumors:
5 winners and losers from Pascal Siakam's reported trade rumors
#5 - Losers: Teams that could land Pascal Siakam in the summer
Pascal Siakam would hit free agency in the summer, as he was on an expiring contract. But, a move to the Pacers will help him join a contender and could keep him with the franchise long-term. Still, he could insist on testing free agency, but Indiana would be a frontrunner to re-sign him.
#4 - Losers: Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks were a team that showed interest to land Siakam, but talks with the Raptors were never so active. They are on the losers list because if they had landed him, they would have paired him with fellow star Trae Young to create a duo that would turn things around for the franchise.
#3 - Winners: Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors will eventually move on from a star player who hadn't committed to a new deal and was expected to hit free agency. Instead, they will get a few valuable assets back and will have the chance to build around young star Scottie Barnes, with newcomers RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley as the supporting cast.
#2 - Winners: Pascal Siakam
Siakam will have the chance to join a contender and fight for the title, as the Indiana Pacers will have their own Big Three in Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner and Siakam. At the same time, the Pacers' have a deep and versatile roster and would emerge as a favorite for a Top-four finish in the East. Siakam has won the 2019 NBA championship with Toronto.
#1 - Winners: Indiana Pacers
If the Indiana Pacers can agree to a deal with the Toronto Raptors and bring Siakam in, they will create their own Big Three, which could be the missing piece for a deep playoff run. With Haliburton leading the way so far, the Pacers have shown they are a playoff contender, but adding Siakam could get them the extra mile. Indiana is sixth in the East with 23 wins and 17 losses.