To trade, or not to trade. That has been the question for the Indiana Pacers.
With the NBA Trade Deadline approaching on February 8th, the Pacers have continued to be in a great position to make a splash if that was the path they wanted to take. They’ve got salary flexibility, a bunch of draft picks to offer, and some expiring contracts and/or young players to work with in potential trade offers. With a current record of 23-17, the Pacers also find themselves in a unique position: Do they make a deal to try and compete this season, or do they stay the course and “trust the process” with their long-term future in mind?
Or… is there a way to have their cake and eat it too?
The rumors were flying all week about a potential Pacers/Raptors trade involving Pascal Siakam. And those rumors appear to be coming to fruition. Reports are saying the Pacers will send multiple first round draft picks, Bruce Brown Jr. and Jordan Nwora in the deal to acquire the two-time All Star. As expected, Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker are staying put and won’t be involved in any trade, which is another big win for Indy. Keeping those young assets while still acquiring Siakam could be the perfect way to thread the needle between the present and the future.
Yes, Pascal Siakam is approaching 30 years old. And yes, he will be a free agent at the end of the season. And yes, it’s a huge risk to trade so many assets for a player that A.) may not put you over the top, and B.) might bolt at the end of the season.
Here are the counter points: Siakam is averaging 22 points, six rebounds, and five assists per game on 52% shooting. He could be the perfect Robin to Haliburton’s Batman. He can still hold his own on the defensive end, which is something the Pacers still desperately need. And to top it all off- the Pacers believe they will have a great chance to extend him this summer.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported the Pacers are “a legitimate threat to give Siakam a max contract extension” this summer, even before this trade took place.
To me, the Pacers have enough young talent, assets, and depth. Next year’s draft doesn’t impress me much, and I don’t think they ever intended on keeping all of the draft picks they’ve been stockpiling the last few years. The time to make this move was now. If the player still leaves at seasons end, you’re still showing your current roster and fan base that you’re trying to win, while still protecting your most prized assets that are currently on the roster.
Some fans will worry about a trade impacting team chemistry. Evan Turner for Danny Granger, anyone? This current Pacers team has an incredible bond in the locker room that is infectious and impressive to watch. A big trade can definitely shake things up and disrupt some of that chemistry. But when you have a chance to improve your team, it’s a risk you should take. I also believe the team chemistry of this squad is too strong to be broken. It may sting to lose a player or two that has been part of it, but the new player(s) coming in should have no issue becoming part of what has already been built.
This is why the Pacers have been stockpiling picks and assets the last few years. It was time to strike, and it appears the Pacers have done just that. The second half of the season just got even more interesting.
Tyler Smith covers the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Hoosiers for IndySportsLegends and is a frequent contributor to the Journal Review. He is also the youth and sports pastor at New Hope Christian Church.
