Pascal Siakam had a tough transition after being traded to Indiana Pacers, but his first practice changed everything
INDIANAPOLIS — Pascal Siakam finally got to practice in his new city on Wednesday. His brother, Christian, played his college basketball at IUPUI, a university in downtown Indianapolis, but Pascal hasn’t been to his new home much outside of coming in for games with the Toronto Raptors. That is just one of the many new realities facing the Pacers star forward. Indiana acquired Siakam in a trade last week, bringing in the two-time All-Star in exchange for two players and three first-round draft picks. It was a massive deal for the blue and gold — Siakam is maybe the most accomplished player the Pacers have ever traded for. It’s also the first time Siakam has ever been traded — and the first time he’s had to adjust to a new home. He spent the first seven-plus years of his career as a member of the Toronto Raptors, where he grew from late first round pick to All-Star player to All-NBA forward into NBA champion. He grew as a human, too. Now, he’s been relocated from that completely. “It’s been tough. I think the first two days [after] the trade happened I don’t think I slept at all,” Siakam said after his first home game in Indianapolis on Tuesday. “I’m doing my best and trying to stay ready, get ready every game.” He joined the Pacers on the road last weekend, so there wasn’t much practice time available, if any. The 2016 first-round draft pick had to figure out his spot on the team, offensive role, and much more on the fly. It was a difficult transition. But on Wednesday, much of that got ironed out. The team had a practice altogether that included Siakam, and it was a much-needed session. Indiana had a chance to get their new talent up to speed and make some necessary
feel more and more comfortable, but I think it’s gonna take time,” Siakam said of his first practice. He noted that everything just feels so new, which is part of the dramatic transition to a new city. But the veteran forward is a sponge. He likes to learn — and thank goodness for the Pacers he does, because he will be doing a lot of it. “There’s things we need to cover for sure,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Siakam’s first practice. “Very valuable. We need to keep finding these windows of opportunity.” The 29-year old four man is adjusting to many things. The Pacers play fast, for example, and that requires a mental shift. Their concepts and plays are different from Toronto’s. Not only does he have to download some new or tweaked actions, he has to execute them at a rapid speed in game.
That’s a big adjustment, but Siakam’s affinity for information has made it easier. “It was good. I love being out there on the floor with the guys,” Siakam said of his first practice. “I think we got an opportunity to learn even more.” Siakam’s production with little tune-up time was impressive. He averaged 17.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game before having sessions in the St Vincent Center with his teammates. He was one of Indiana’s best players despite figuring everything out on the go. That speaks to his talent level. The expectation now is that his numbers, and his general fit, will improve. The Pacers know they need to get Siakam the ball more often, especially with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined, so that he can get going. That’s where he can help Indiana most on offense — making plays with the ball.
