The Toronto Raptors experienced a change of direction by moving off from Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby.
After struggling to compete at a high level since winning a championship in 2019, Toronto needed a reset with Scottie Barnes leading the charge.
Siakam spent seven full seasons with the Raptors and deciding to trade him was a hard choice to make. Especially for president Masai Ujiri, who built a strong relationship with Siakam throughout his time with the organization.
With the Indiana Pacers, Siakam put up 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 54.9 percent shooting from the field and a career-high 38.6 percent shooting from deep in 41 games.
Ultimately, Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton became catalysts in Indiana making an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.
Therefore, the Pacers rewarded the former Raptor with a four-year, $188 million max contract. At a press conference to announce this re-signing, Siakam accidentally thanked Toronto before quickly correcting himself:
Pascal accidentally thanked the Raptors instead of the Pacers 🥺 https://t.co/cOcXwptRLs pic.twitter.com/x99TYhOWAj
— OG’s Scarf (@OGsHeadband1) July 8, 2024
To no surprise, it is clear that Toronto is still on Siakam’s mind. Which will presumably never go away since he developed into the player he is today during his tenure with the Raptors.
Hopefully, the 30-year-old is able to experience sustained success in Indiana and build off a solid half-season with the Pacers.
NBA insider reveals why former Raptor Pascal Siakam refused to be traded to Kings
It was only a matter of time until Pascal Siakam was ultimately moved to another team.
However, there were plenty of teams interested in his services. As the trade deadline neared, a team that surfaced was the Sacramento Kings.
However, an NBA insider revealed why Siakam refused to be traded to Sacramento, which ultimately led to him being traded to Indiana.
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