The Indiana Pacers acquired All-Star forward Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday in exchange for Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round draft picks.
Two of the first-rounders are 2024 picks — one of which is Indiana’s — and the third is a 2026 selection from the Pacers. The other 2024 first-rounder is the lesser of a Utah/Houston/Oklahoma City/LA Clippers pick, according to ESPN.
The New Orleans Pelicans, the third team in the deal, sent Kira Lewis Jr. to the Raptors and a 2024 second-round pick to Indiana.
Raptors president Masai Ujiri said in a statement, “Pascal is a champion, an integral part of winning teams and an example of what can be achieved with dedication, perseverance, hard work and tenacity. We’re lucky to have seen Pascal develop into the man and player that he is today — and we are grateful for everything he has done for our city and for our franchise. We wish him all good things.”
Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement, “We’re incredibly excited to welcome Pascal to Indiana. As a two-time All-NBA selection and two-time NBA All Star, Pascal is a player that our organization has long admired and respected. We feel that his unique offensive skillset will complement our style of play, while his defensive versatility will be a valuable asset to our team.”
Siakam, 29, is in the final year of a four-year, $136.9 million contract. He is set to hit free agency this offseason barring an extension with the Pacers. ESPN reported that Siakam is eager to work out a new deal with the Pacers in the summer.
The two-time All-Star is averaging 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 39 starts this season. He’s shooting 52.2 percent from the floor. He has played all seven-plus seasons in Toronto. He averages 17.4 points for his career. He was selected No. 27 overall by the Raptors in the 2016 draft, and he helped Toronto win the 2019 NBA Finals.
Brown, 27, was in his first season with the Pacers after winning a title with the Denver Nuggets last season. He is averaging 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 33 games (all starts) this season. The Raptors will be his fifth team in six seasons in the league.
Nwora, 25, is averaging 5.2 points in 18 games (no starts) this season.
Lewis, 22, is averaging 2.9 points in 15 games (no starts) this season. The Pelicans selected him No. 13 overall in the 2020 draft.
–Field Level Media
