Chain Reaction: Pascal Siakam To The Indiana Pacers

Chain Reaction is something new I’m working on. Basically, after a big move goes down, I’m going to try and break down all of the people affected by the trade/signing/firing/cutting/resigning/re-signing.

And here is our very first chain reaction:

BREAKING: The Indiana Pacers are finalizing a trade to acquire All-Star F Pascal Siakam in a deal that will send Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round picks to the Toronto Raptors. New Orleans will be a third team in deal, sending Kira Lewis to the Raptors.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 17, 2024

The Toronto Raptors have traded All-Star and NBA Champion, Pascal Siakam, to Indiana for Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and 3 first-round picks.

Pascal Siakam: Pascal is on an expiring contract so I imagine he agreed to being traded to Indiana with a long-term max contract waiting for him when he lands. So 29-year-old Siakam gets to escape a Toronto rebuild and join a Pacers team that is ready for war with the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs.

Pascal gets to play meaningful postseason basketball for a team desperately in need of exactly what he brings to the table. Sure, Tyrese Haliburton is the star of the squad but Siakam is going to get love when he ends up being the team’s leading scorer and defending the best scorers on the other end.

Tyrese Haliburton: I promise you, Tyrese would rather run the floor with Pascal Siakam than Jalen Smith. Tyrese finally has a guy who can consistently get a bucket in the half-court without him having to move heaven and Earth to get Buddy Hield open so Hield can brick a 3.

Scottie Barnes: The 2022 Rookie of the Year is officially the no. 1 option of the Toronto Raptors now that Siakam is living in Indianapolis.

All of the pressure is on his shoulders. Let’s see how he handles it.

He’s averaging 20 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

I have faith in the guy who jumped his 3-point shooting from 28% last season to 37% this year. We’ve watched Ben Simmons come into the NBA without a jumper and damn near a decade later that Australian scammer hasn’t improved a lick. Scottie Barnes appears to actually give a shit about becoming great.

Myles Turner: Myles Turner is currently 10th in blocks and that’s for a Pacers team ranked 27th in defensive rating. Turner could become a top rim protector if anyone else on the Pacers decided to play defense instead of teams coming to town and running layup lines all game long.

Pascal Siakam can help slow down guys like Giannis or Jaylen Brown or Julius Randle and lead them into Turner rotating for help and swatting shots away.

Obi Toppin: Apparently, there’s more to basketball than only catching lobs. Pascal Siakam’s arrival means the Toppin experiment is over. Chances are, Indiana lets him walk in free agency and I don’t think teams will be lining up to acquire one of the WORST defenders in the NBA.

Bennedict Mathurin: This man walked into the NBA and thought he was better than LeBron. LeBron James. Players with this level of psychopathy never consider themselves ‘third options’. I’m sure Mathurin believes Siakam is coming to help pass him the ball more.

I guess my point is, Mathurin won’t be on the Pacers next year when the stories leak he’s pissed about his touches or whatever.

RJ Barrett: Speaking of players who believe they’re better than they actually are, RJ Barrett’s game opened up.

Siakam is shooting 31% from 3 this year. It’s just not a big part of his game which makes the floor spacing wacky. Barrett thrives when he has maximum driving lanes to slowly dribble into two defenders to get his shot blocked into the CN Tower.

BUT, Siakam’s terrible perimeter shooting is gone which means all eyes will be on RJ’s terrible perimeter shooting. Raptors fans are going to tear him limb from limb.

Kira Lewis: Shout out Kira Lewis, man. The 22-year-old has spent the first 4 years of his career on the end of the Pelicans bench hoping for a blowout or an injury so he can get like, 3 minutes of cardio.

With OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam gone, I imagine the Raptors will also look to move veteran point guard, Dennis Schroder which means Kira Lewis went from playing never really knowing when he was going to get on the court to suddenly being Immanuel Quickley’s backup.

De’Aaron Fox: Sacramento was also in talks with Toronto but it sounds like Siakam didn’t want to play for the Kings. Fox needs help. He can’t keep passing the ball to Kevin Huerter and Harrison fucking Barnes. But unfortunately, it feels like guys in the NBA would rather play with Haliburton than Fox.

Please get De’Aaron Fox some help. Sigh, even if it’s Zach L

Bruce Brown: Now that he’s in Toronto, it’s going to be tough for Bruce Brown to see Lana Rhoades and the baby.

Lana Rhoades: “I guess I am a hooper. I did have NBA DNA in me for 8 months”😭 pic.twitter.com/VSa7l4ANPm

— OhManGahDamn (@DownSinceDay01) October 3, 2022