If the Raptors decide to trade Pascal Siakam, it sounds like they should expect a call from the Pacers.
Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported in July that Indiana had reached out to Toronto while the team was trying to gauge the market for Siakam. Fast forward several months and the Pacers continue to be among the teams expected to pursue the two-time All-Star should he become available.
The Pacers have been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season. They've come down to earth a bit since making it to the final of the In-Season Tournament, but they remain in the Eastern Conference playoff race and are led by one of the best point guards in the league in Tyrese Haliburton.
What could Indiana offer for Siakam? Here's one potential deal.
MORE: Updated trade destinations for Pascal Siakam
Why Raptors say yes and no: Pascal Siakam trade to Pacers for Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker package
The trade
Pascal Siakam and Garrett Temple for Buddy Hield, Bennedict Mathurin, and Jarace Walker.
Why this trade
The easiest path for the Pacers to match Siakam's salary in a trade is by including one of Hield, Bruce Brown, and Myles Turner.
Turner has been linked to the Raptors before, but the 3-point shooting and rim protection he provides at center make him an ideal pairing with Siakam. The Pacers signed Brown in the offseason. He fits in anywhere, but he makes more sense on a team looking to contend, not one heading toward a rebuild.
Mathurin and Walker are two of the best young prospects the Pacers have to offer.
Why Raptors say yes
Hield ticks an important box for the Raptors with his shooting, but the draw would be Mathurin and Walker.
The No. 6 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Mathurin finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting last season with an average of 16.7 points per game. He's been up and down so far this season, but he's a talented scorer who can stretch the floor out to the 3-point line.
Walker was the No. 8 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He has spent most of his rookie season to date in the G League, where he's averaging 24.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.
Before the draft, our Kyle Irving projected Walker to be a top-five pick and compared him to Shawn Marion.
"Walker's adaptability is what makes him so special as a prospect, as evidenced by his freshman season at Houston," Irving wrote. "In some games, he's strictly been a shutdown defender and tenacious rebounder. In other games, he's dominating inside and adding some offensive firepower.
"It's tough to pass up his combination of physical tools and moldable skills."
Facing the possibility of Siakam walking in the offseason, getting two prospects who are on a similar timeline as Scottie Barnes and complement his skill set is an ideal return for the Raptors.
Why Raptors say no
While Hield's shooting would be a nice addition to Toronto's roster, he's 31 and set to be an unrestricted free agent. He, too, could leave in the offseason.
As promising as Mathurin and Walker are, are they a good enough return for a two-time All-Star? Mathurin is a talented scorer, but he's at his best with the ball in his hands. There could be some overlap between him, Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley.
It's hard not to love the idea of Walker — a stretch big who can protect the rim and defend multiple positions — but he's barely played on a Pacers team this season that desperately needs his skill set. Without seeing much of him, the Raptors might not have a good sense of his true potential.
The Pacers do have draft picks they could offer to sweeten the deal. They also have some other interesting young players, like Obi Toppin, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith. They might just be hesitant to give up more without knowing if Siakam will remain in Indiana beyond this season.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the word is that Siakam is unlikely to sign a two-year extension if he's traded, his preference being to enter unrestricted free agency. Trading for him is a gamble.
That does raise an interesting question.
Would the Pacers even sign off on this?
If they don't have confidence that Siakam would re-sign, maybe not.
If giving up Mathurin and Walker is too much for the Pacers to stomach, they could offer something along the lines of Hield, Mathurin or Walker, Toppin, and draft compensation, whether it's a first-round pick or multiple second-round picks.
Indiana would have some leverage in this situation, arguing that it will just wait until the offseason to pursue Siakam when he becomes a free agent. Ultimately, this would come down to how close the Pacers think they are to making some noise and how much they believe Siakam would move the needle.
