The Indiana Pacers traded for Pascal Siakam in January. They knew he was on an expiring contract and would become a free agent in the summer. However, the front office rolled the dice and trusted it could convince the former NBA champion to stick around.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed that Siakam will ink a four-year contract worth $189.5 million to remain in Indiana once the free-agency moratorium ends on July 6.
Siakam helped the Pacers make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals this season. He played in all 17 postseason games, averaging 21.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting 58.8 percent from the field.
Indiana is a young and upcoming team. The Pacers have multiple impressive young talents, with Tyrese Haliburton as their primary star. Siakam’s veteran leadership and championship experience will be a welcomed boost to the locker room.
Rick Carlisle will likely lean on Siakam to emerge as a vocal leader on the team. His ability to guard multiple positions and be a primary offensive option will raise the Pacers’ championship ceiling. Indiana’s ability to contend will also be buoyed by the inevitable internal growth of its young prospects such as Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith.
The Pacers’ postseason success was likely a significant factor in Siakam’s decision-making. Carlisle’s team was the only roster to score more than 100 points in each of its games against the Boston Celtics. The Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks all failed to match that feat. As such, the Pacers likely proved to Siakam that he could win with the organization while playing a large role in the rotation.
Kevin Pritchard took a gamble when he made the trade to bring Siakam to Indiana. He received an immediate payoff.
Pacers fans will now be looking forward to what projects as an incredibly bright future for the franchise.
