The Indiana Pacers have prevented one of their top stars from hitting the open market.
Forward Pascal Siakam plans to sign a four-year, $189.5 million deal with the Pacers once the NBA’s free agency moratorium ends on July 6, ESPN reported Wednesday. The contract is the maximum deal the Pacers could offer Siakam.
The Pacers acquired Siakam in January in a trade with the Toronto Raptors, adding him to a promising core a few months ahead of the postseason. Indiana’s decision to trade for Siakam, in which it gave up three players and three first-round picks, immediately paid off. The forward averaged 21.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game over 41 regular-season contests.
Siakam was also arguably the Pacers’ top player in the postseason, helping Indiana reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2014. He averaged a team-high 21.6 points to go with 7.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
While the Pacers were swept by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals, they now have their top two players under contract for the foreseeable future. Tyrese Haliburton signed an extension last offseason that’ll run through the end of the 2028-29 season. Siakam’s deal will keep him under contract through the end of the 2027-28 season.
Prior to joining the Pacers, the 30-year-old Siakam spent the first seven-plus seasons of his career with the Raptors. A late first-round pick, Siakam developed into a major piece for the Raptors when they won the title in 2019. He won Most Improved Player that same season. He earned his first All-Star nod of his career in the following season. He was named an All-Star again in the 2022-23 season.
The Pacers presented the max offer to Siakam on Tuesday, ESPN reported. The NBA’s new early contract rules allow teams to begin discussions with perspective free agents the day after the NBA Finals conclude. Siakam was set to be one of the top players on the free agency market this offseason.
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