The Indiana Pacers wouldn’t have traded for Pascal Siakam in January if they didn’t intend to re-sign him. The 30-year-old forward will be an unrestricted free agent on June 30, however, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle told reporters on Tuesday that they “can’t assume a player like Pascal will automatically want to come back.”
In some ways, Indiana has been trying to show Siakam that this is the right place for him since he arrived. However, the morning after the Pacers’ season ended, Carlisle said the “first very important step” of the offseason is to “start recruiting Pascal Siakam in earnest.” He is eligible to re-sign for up to five years and $245 million, and The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported The team is planning to offer him a maximum contract.
“You trade for a guy who has good experience, but you have to let him know how important he is,” Carlisle said. “We’ve been doing all of that already, but today is like ‘Hey, you’re our guy.’
Indiana’s franchise player Tyrese Haliburton also did some public recruiting.
“Obviously, getting Pascal back is a big deal,” Haliburton told reporters. “A great player on our team and a great athlete. He knows I’m going to be texting him constantly, calling him constantly. We’d all like to have Pascal back, and that’s certainly the plan. I can’t speak for the guy by any means, but I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that Pascal Siakam is in a Pacers uniform next year. And I’m excited to start that recruiting process, I think, but just want to have him as our guy for the near future. Hopefully for the rest of his career.”
Siakam, who has two All-NBA and two All-Star appearances to his name, averaged 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 41 regular-season games for the Pacers. He started the playoffs with 36- and 37-point games against the Milwaukee Bucks, and his midrange shooting did much to keep Indiana competitive against the Boston Celtics in the conference finals.
“This is the second year of a rebuild,” Carlisle said. “Two things have accelerated it significantly: the acquisition of Tyrese Haliburton, which dramatically changed the direction of it, and the acquisition of Pascal.”
Carlisle described Siakam as “an amazing guy” who has “a lot of intelligence.” Based on his seven-and-a-half seasons of experience with the Toronto Raptors, Siakam had some ideas about things Indiana could do differently and he shared them with Carlisle.
“There was a real collaborative spirit with Pascal,” Carlisle said.
After Indiana’s season-ending loss on Monday, Siakam said it had been a “crazy year.” He thought he’d spend the rest of his career in Toronto, but though it was “tough, just to go through everything and leave in the middle of the season,” he appreciated the way the Pacers welcomed him.
“After a breakup like that, it’s tough, it’s hard,” Siakam told reporters. “And then you come here, and I think without that support, I don’t know how I would have really done it. And I’m so grateful and happy that I came to a place where you just feel so supported and you feel like you’re needed, you feel like you matter. And as a player, that’s really all you can ask for.”
Siakam told reporters he wouldn’t talk directly about free agency. However, he repeatedly said the franchise has made him feel valued.
“All I can say is, yeah, it’s been a blessing,” Siakam said. “And I really appreciate everything. I think, where I come from, yeah, it means a lot. And the support that I’ve gotten here is something that I was missing. And to have all of that, and see how a city breathes basketball and how much support they give the team, to be here, home games, it’s just unbelievable. How would you not be a part of that? So I think for me, I’m really blessed and happy with how it’s gone. And I think, in terms of the future, whatever happens will happen.”
The best way for Indiana to show Siakam that it matters is to offer him a full five-year deal at max money on June 30. If there’s some negotiating to be done, it’s because the Pacers are going to be much more expensive for other reasons — Siakam’s $42.3 million starting salary will be equal to Haliburton’s 2024-25 salary on a max deal, a result of the 24-year-old guard making All-NBA this season, and both Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell will be eligible for contract extensions this summer. Siakam’s backup Obi Toppin will also be a restricted free agent.
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