Wed, Jan 17, 2024 at 2:22pm

TORONTO TRADES SIAKAM IN THREE-WAY DEAL!

In a three-team trade, the Indiana Pacers acquired forward/center Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors, and a future second-round draft pick from the New Orleans Pelicans; Toronto acquired guard/forward Bruce Brown, forward/guard Jordan Nwora, two first-round draft picks in 2024 and a conditional first-round draft pick in 2026 from the Pacers, and guard Kira Lewis Jr. from the New Orleans Pelicans.

What does it give the Indiana Pacers
Siakam is an excellent big man with supreme athleticism. He should fit in well with the Pacers, arguably the fastest team in the NBA this season. He will likely start at power forward and give Indiana another piece to the playoff puzzle. The Pacers made the in-season tournament final, so they clearly believe they are an emerging contender in the NBA.

What does it give the Toronto Raptors
For the Raptors, this trade signals a shift towards the future. Adding Brown and Nwora adds depth on the wings, but the key to this trade is the three first-round picks that Indiana will surrender to Toronto. The Raptors also get Lewis from New Orleans as part of this deal, but he will probably come off the bench as a backup point guard.

What does it give the New Orleans Pelicans
For New Orleans, they literally received nothing in this trade (and that is what they wanted). By dumping Lewis, the Pelicans can now land below the luxury tax threshold. Therefore, including Lewis as part of this trade between the Pacers and Raptors is a clear salary dump by Nawlins. Could they be looking to make another big move?

Fantasy impact
Siakam is still a solid fantasy option, and playing with an elite point guard (Tyrese Haliburton) might even increase his stock as a Pacer. Brown and Nwora could get better opportunities with Toronto, but take a wait-and-see approach before picking either player up. Lewis is merely depth at this point, so there is no need to pick him up.