The Indiana Pacers made a bold move by acquiring Pascal Siakam at the deadline, with the intention of re-signing him to play alongside Tyrese Haliburton. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the team plans to offer Siakam a max contract worth $245 million over five years.
It was never in doubt that Siakam would stay with the Pacers, as he has shown no interest in testing the free agent market. The only question was whether the Pacers would try to negotiate a discount, which does not appear to be the case.
Siakam had a significant impact on both ends of the floor for the Pacers, averaging 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and shooting 38.6% from 3-point range. His defensive presence greatly improved the team’s performance, leading them to the Eastern Conference Finals where he averaged 21.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
With Siakam and Haliburton set to receive max and supermax contracts respectively, the Pacers will have a high payroll in the coming years. However, the team is willing to take on the financial burden if it means remaining competitive in the Eastern Conference. Players like Myles Turner, Andrew Nembhard, and Bennedict Mathurin will also require costly extensions down the line. Overall, the Pacers are willing to face these challenges as long as Siakam continues to elevate the team’s performance.