The Pacers and Raptors are finalizing an agreement on a trade that will send star forward Pascal Siakam to Indiana, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
The deal, whose framework was previously reported by Shams Charania and Jake Fischer, will send Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks to Toronto, according to Wojnarowski. The Pelicans will also be involved, Wojnarowski notes, with fourth-year guard Kira Lewis headed to the Raptors.
Earlier reporting indicated that Indiana would likely include either Jalen Smith or Obi Toppin in their package for salary-matching purposes. However, by acquiring Lewis from New Orleans using their cap room, the Pacers will be able to immediately aggregate his salary with Brown’s and Nwora’s, making him the missing matching piece. As a result, the “three-team” deal will technically consist of two separate trades, ESPN’s Bobby Marks confirms (via Twitter).
The three first-rounders going to Toronto will be the Pacers’ own 2024 pick, a second ’24 first-rounder (via Oklahoma City), and Indiana’s 2026 pick, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The 2024 pick from OKC will be the least favorable of the Thunder’s, Clippers’, Rockets’, and Jazz’s first-rounders. The 2026 pick will include top-four protection, according to Charania (Twitter link).
In the Pelicans/Pacers swap, New Orleans will receive cash from Indiana and will send a second-round pick to the Pacers, per ESPN’s Andrew Lopez and Wojnarowski (Twitter link). That will be a 2024 selection, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com, which means it’ll be the least favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bulls’ second-rounders.
The blockbuster deal is the culmination of several months of trade rumors involving Siakam. He was also at the center of speculation over the 2023 offseason, at which time the Raptors reportedly spoke to the Hawks and others about the two-time All-Star. The Mavericks, Warriors, Pistons, and Kings are among the teams that have been linked to him in recent weeks.
After getting a limited return for Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade deal in 2021 and then losing Fred VanVleet for nothing in 2023 free agency, the Raptors were more proactive this season in moving key players on expiring contracts ahead of February’s trade deadline. Toronto sent OG Anunoby and two other players to New York at the end of December in exchange for Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and a second-round pick.
The Pacers reportedly made an effort to acquire Anunoby before the Knicks landed him, but Siakam had been at the top of their wish list for over six months, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. While the Raptors were believed to be seeking a return headlined by a young player or two – like the one they got from the Knicks for Anunoby – Indiana was able to get the deal done with a pick-heavy package that didn’t include recent lottery selections Bennedict Mathurin or Jarace Walker.
By virtue of being traded, Siakam will no longer be eligible for a super-max contract in the event he makes an All-NBA team for a third time this season. Additionally, he won’t be able to sign an extension of more than two years with Indiana prior to free agency, since a longer-term extension deal isn’t permitted for six months after the trade.
However, the 29-year-old is excited to join the Pacers and is expected to be “eager” to figure out a new contract with the team this summer, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The Pacers will hold his Bird rights, giving them the ability to offer up to five years once he becomes a free agent. They’ll have plenty of financial flexibility to make Siakam a part of the long-term core alongside star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
“I’m excited that Pascal is getting a first class opportunity with the Pacers, being paired with Tyrese and Myles (Turner) and being coached by a great coach in Rick Carlisle,” Siakam’s agent Todd Ramasar said in a statement to Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). “His future there looks bright there.”
The Raptors will now control at least two first-round picks in the 2024 draft, along with an early second-rounder from the Pistons that currently projects to be 31st overall. They traded their own ’24 first-rounder away to the Spurs in last season’s Jakob Poeltl deal, but it has top-six protection, so it’s not a lock to change hands — Toronto’s 15-25 record is tied for the sixth-worst mark in the NBA.
It’s unclear what Toronto’s plans are for Brown, who played an important role on the Nuggets’ championship team last season and could be a popular target for contenders on the trade market in the coming weeks.
Brown is on a pseudo-expiring $22MM contract — he has a $23MM club option for 2024/25, so if he remains a Raptor, the club could create in excess of $30MM in cap room by declining that option, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Nwora ($3MM) and Lewis ($5.7MM) are also on expiring deals.
While the Pacers’ 2023/24 team salary will increase beyond the cap once they officially acquire Siakam, the Raptors and Pelicans will gain significant cap relief. After being only slightly under the luxury tax line prior to the trade, Toronto will have about $9MM in breathing room below that threshold, tweets cap expert Yossi Gozlan.
New Orleans, meanwhile, will move from above the tax line to about $2.8MM below it, Gozlan adds (via Twitter). That will give the Pelicans – one of two NBA teams to never pay the tax – more room to operate on the trade market or in free agency in the coming weeks.
The Pacers will have to waive a player in order to acquire Lewis from New Orleans. Veteran forward James Johnson will be that roster casualty, per Tony East of SI.com (Twitter link). The Raptors, who currently have one open spot on their 15-man roster, will also need to make a cut in order to accommodate their three-for-one deal with Indiana.
Both the Pacers and Pelicans will end up with 13 players on standard contracts once the two trades are completed. Teams aren’t permitted to carry fewer than 14 players on standard deals for more than 14 days at a time, so both clubs will have two weeks to re-add a 14th man.
Surprised raps didn’t acquire Toppin also. Who will be the starting power forward is the question.
Chris Boucher might be the new PF
Might move Scottie to PF and play Trent at the 2 and Barrett at the 3. Schroeder seems like the full-time sixth man at this point.
RJ, BBrown & Scottie pretty interchangeable at the 2-4, similar to how OG/Siakam/Scottie been the past few seasons
And what did that do for them …..
Traded OG to play Barnes where he belongs.
scottie Barnes I would think. Jakob @5, scottie @4 RJ @ 3, GTJ @2? IQ@1.
bench seems a bit thin though
Who cares, we’re not competing, the rest of this year will be used to tank/develop so we keep our pick.
My grade
Raptors A
Pacers C
Compare to Harden trade
76ers F
Clippers A
I don’t buy Morris Batum Covington and bad draft picks
Pacers gave up none of their young players and two of the picks are ’24 picks that will be late in a draft that seems very weak. I am not sure how this is anything but a win for the Pacers.
If Pascal walks then it definitely is a bad trade. This haul the Raps got makes me think Pascal all but guaranteed his resigning in Indiana.
Silivan : how can its that bad for pacers? All nba isnt a joke.that pick will be late pick,and two expiring players who arent their core.
Good trade for both teams. But they should have got Obi too. Pacers got a good deal. Brown is a nice player. But will probably leave next yr. I guess Raptors going for a lottery pick this yr. It’s a smart move.
Glad it’s over lol …..
Wasn’t there some friction between Barrett and Toppin while they were in New York?
No with Obi and Thibs.
Knicks front office —— there’s a story out there that Knicks got rid of the softer guys. Guys who weren’t committed to team D .
I think it’s smoke …..
Agree with Al. Pacers did a good job keeping Obi. Brown is a good add for the Raptors but is probably more valuable as a trade piece next year. An expiring $23 million contract (after they exercise the option) on a solid player could get them something good in return. Or they flip him earlier.
Betting on Jalen Smith going to the Pels. They could use another big.
If Toppin isn’t included I would swing Bruce Brown for Wendal Carter Jr and Gary Harris or Jaylin Williams(who comes off the bench for OKC but has tons of upside) & Bertans. McDaniels needs to go too.
I feel like ur sleeping on Bruce Brown
He’s a FA …. not staying
Team option
link to hoopshype.com
FA ….
The conversation is around Brown.
Team option. link to hoopshype.com
Cavs could use a wing. Ty Jerome and Damian Jones plus two seconds for McDaniels? He’s been playing bad this season, but still has upside, so you get two seconds. Jones is bad, but he at least provides size. And does seem to play better after he gets traded every year, weirdly.
Magic don’t want Bruce brown. They need spacing not another guard who can’t shoot 3’s
Siakam is obv 1 of the best offensive forwards in the league but I feel like this is huge for Indy moreso bc of how it helps their team defense & rebounding. Siakam was huge in those areas for Toronto during their title run & just adding his length/size will benefit the Pacers a lot… Toronto having 3 1sts this summer is obv a pretty big deal too. Hype to see how Ujiri uses all that ammo
Nobody is sleeping on Bruce. I can see the nuggets miss him but he’s 6’4, not 6’8.
Pacers are a pefect fit for Siakim… For the exact reasons you state…
Wait, so Toppin/Smith is going to the Pelicans?
Pels get cap relief, no players
Makes sense, Kira Lewis value was rock bottom
3 first round picks for a rental. That’s insane.
Except it’s prob not a rental
Won’t be a rental. Pacers had the lowest payroll in the league heading into the season. Tons of flexibility. They are going to be legit Eastern Conference contenders.
Only legit if Siakam decides to stay…for the money.
I doubt they would have traded for him if they weren’t already comfortable in a) offering him a max deal and b) knowing that he would be willing to resign with Indiana.
First, it’s obvious that is not going to be a rental (unless things goes awfully bad chemistry wise in half a season). And second, people here tend to generalize first round picks as they are all the same: is not the same a Detroit or SAS first than a Boston or Denver first and in this case Indiana is giving away his picks because they believe they’re going to the playoffs straight (no play in) and most important, 2024 will be the weakest draft class arguably in this whole century, so basically they don’t care about next year draft
Exactly, I don’t see how this isnt a major win for the Pacers…these are not NFL 1st round draft picks that have massive value and the ’24 draft is garbage.
Nwora can at least shoot the ball & won a chip with bucks. Raps lost size though.
He’s also been better on defense this year. First few years in the league he was an awful defender. Now he seems average to above-average, though in a limited sample. He’s moving better and putting his hands up more. Just more active, more effort.
I feel like the Raptors won by having Nwora included… Looks like 2 solid young players and 3 picks is a big haul…
Good move by indiana
I can’t see the raptors being done at this. They seem to have to many guards now
Everyone’s available, the new foundation of this team is Scotty, IQ, Barret, maybe Gradey, plus whoever they draft in the top 5.
Schroeder, GtJr, Boucher and Poetel are all available.
Worst upcoming draft class in a decade and Masai decides to triple down on it.
Losing him for nothing is better?
Or are you assuming there was a better deal that he declined to make? Lol
Yeah the 1st are atleast potentially good bench players and a top 5 pick still has a good chance to be a impact player.
So unless Siakam signs a max this is the worst trade in quite a while.
It’s a fair trade. TOR simply got what it could at this point. As far as IND is concerned, as long as they’re a playoff team, it’s a middle and bottom of the draft FRPs this year, and one remote FRP with light protection going forward. The players they’re sending out are all expiring deals as well. It’s too high as a rental price, for sure, but a pretty good price if they can sign him. But unlike most of the other teams that kicked the tires on this, they (and DET) were in the best position to offer up max without a second thought, even the 5 years. Unlike DET, they can offer more $$ and an opportunity to win.
Lot of draft capital. But… given that they are not a FA destination, they probably feel that if they dangle the carrot (5 yr deal) for Siakam, hell bite and stay.
If they extend him this is a great deal for Indy
Siakam said he’s excited to re up in Indy so we will see..
Indy will be scary in the playoffs….already beat Bucks 4 times without Siakam they could legit compete in the Finals this year….I’m hoping the Knicks have another move because we’ve seen if Brunson goes down for any amount of time they are done
t”hey could legit compete in the Finals this year”
Or they could legit lose in the first round.
Nwora is he sneaky good pickup here. Given minutes, he’ll be good.
I think raps trade Bruce for a good power forward.
It works for both teams. Again Raptors have overpriced both Siakam and OG. So had to settle for a fair price. I think they should have gotten Obi. He’s at least a solid rotation guy. And works well with Quickley.
Raptors are tanking for a lottery pick this yr. It’s a good move.
Pacers can move up by getting their chemistry right. And put the East on notice. He’s a great fit there. And now seems like he wants to stay. Not a max player to me. But I don’t hate on players for getting paid. He’s earned this by market standards.
Glad it’s over …..
Excellent for the Raptors,
first you get RJ and IQ for OG then you get back a decent player in Bruce and 3 first round picks for Siakim. Both guys needed new contracts and the team over the last couple years hadn’t been getting the results which warranted big money.
Now you’ve got a new your core and some picks and can build solely around Scottie instead of trying to accommodate everyone and make it work.
For the Knicks excellent deal as your now a much stronger team and everyone seems to fit togther better while also proving a bigger role for some of the other role players.
As for the pacers kinda similar to the Knicks in your now a stronger side and should get better results and have a strong playoff run. However as for the fit your now going to have to extend Pascal to make it worth while which only stops the growth of Walker and means Toppins out the door. Probably should’ve included Walker and tried to only give up 1 first and maybe a couple second round picks. Deal would’ve also been better than you given up Heild and kept Brown.
So it’ll be interesting to see how the new big 3 goes, I think in terms of fit they should work well. It’ll be interesting to see how these newly made teams go up against the likes of Milwaukee, Boston, Miami and Philly
Everyone wants to play with Hali ……
Who told you about him ….
Not Wally World, lemme tell you lmao
Terrible trade. Now their gonna max this bum and get no better.
Pacers now need to trade Hield and Toppin/Smith for a bigger small forward
You can’t tell that the Raptors weren’t offered more than this for Sikam! What a steal
Finally, now we can stop hearing about these ridiculous siakam to the warriors stories.