Raptors sending Siakam to Pacers in multi-player deal
The Indiana Pacers acquired Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors in return for Bruce Brown, Kira Lewis Jr., Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks, the Pacers announced Wednesday.
The Pacers are sending their own 2024 and 2026 first-round picks to Toronto along with the worst 2024 pick from the Rockets, Thunder, Jazz, or Clippers, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Earlier in the day, the Pacers acquired Lewis Jr. and a 2024 second-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans for cash considerations.
The Raptors waived center Christian Koloko to complete the deal. The 23-year-old hasn't played this season due to a respiratory issue.
"We're incredibly excited to welcome Pascal to Indiana," Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. "As a two-time All-NBA selection and two-time NBA All-Star, Pascal is a player that our organization has long admired and respected.
"We feel that his unique offensive skill set will complement our style of play, while his defensive versatility will be a valuable asset to our team."
The Pacers are expected to re-sign Siakam when he becomes a free agent this summer, reports ESPN's Marc J. Spears.
"I'm excited that Pascal is getting a first-class opportunity with the Pacers," Siakam's agent, Todd Ramasar, told Spears. Ramasar added, "His future there looks bright."
Siakam is averaging 22.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in 39 games for the Raptors. The 29-year-old joins All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and the league's highest-scoring offense.
The Pacers are seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 23-17 record.
Indiana faces the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.