Pascal Siakam Trade Deadline: 3 reasons Pacers pursuit of Toronto's star makes perfect Sense
Pascal Siakam has remained one of the most sought-after targets heading into the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 8. While he has long been rumored to be on the trade block, with an expiring contract, it seems as though the Raptors have added motivation to move him. Meanwhile, Siakam has made it clear he won't sign an extension anywhere besides Toronto.
With an expiring contract, Siakam is eager to test free agency; however, despite that, teams are still free to pursue him. Much like Kyrie Irving last season, teams interested in acquiring him will be taking a gamble on whether or not he will re-sign.
Despite that, it's hard to ignore that some teams are better fits for Siakam than others. Here's a look at three reasons why the Indiana Pacers' pursuit of Pascal Siakam makes sense.
Three reasons the Pacers' pursuit of Pascal Siakam makes sense
#3, Ability to adapt
While playing under Nick Nurse in Toronto, Siakam showed an ability to adapt to whatever offensive or defensive scheme he's playing in. While there was a period where his propensity to play isolation ball earned him criticism, he's shown this season that he's a reliable spot-up shooter and cutter.
With impressive spot-up 3-point numbers and efficient buckets while cutting to the rim off-ball, he can thrive under an experienced coach like Rick Carlisle. In addition, on defense, he has shown that he can defend several positions, which should help his integration into the team's system.
#2, Rebounding abilities
The Indiana Pacers have struggled on the glass this season. Despite having a dominant big man in Myles Turner, the team ranks 26th for defensive rebounding percentages.
Although Siakam isn't a player who will lead the league in rebounds, he's averaged 6.5 rebounds per game throughout his career. During the 2021-22 season, he averaged a career-high 8.5 rpg, a number that would certainly help the Pacers.
#1, The Pacers need a starting power forward
With all due respect to Jalen Smith, who has been starting at the power forward spot for the Pacers, the team is in desperate need of a starting power forward. While Smith has shown improvements this season, he's averaging 10.1 ppg and 5.4 rpg.
In comparison, Pascal Siakam, although playing more minutes, is averaging 22.2 ppg and 6.3 rpg. While Smith continues to develop as a player, bringing him off the bench behind Siakam will help the team when attempting a playoff run.
Of course, Siakam has made it clear that he doesn't want to re-sign anywhere besides Toronto right now. With that in mind, teams may be hesitant to make a trade ahead of the Feb. 8 deadline knowing he could walk in the offseason.
Considering he has played his entire career in Toronto, it sounds as though Siakam is at least entertaining the idea of a change in scenery. Whether teams like the Pacers are eager to take the risk on trading for him knowing he wants to test free agency, only time will tell.