The Indiana Pacers have sent Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks to Toronto in exchange for two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam. Siakam, averaging 22.2/6.3/4.9 this season, gives Indiana a proven tandem partner for rising star Tyrese Haliburton. At 23-17, the Pacers have the highest-scoring offense in the NBA. However, Siakam would become just their second 20-point shooter behind Haliburton. Despite the move, and the heavy price for it, the Pacers will need to work quickly on an extension, as Siakam is a free agent in the offseason.
“I’m excited that Pascal is getting a first-class opportunity with the Pacers, being paired with Tyrese [Haliburton] and Myles [Turner] and being coached by a great coach in Rick Carlisle. His future looks bright there,” Siakam’s agent, Todd Ramasar, told Andscape. Per ESPN, the Raptors received two 2024 first-round picks and another in 2026.
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Warriors Coach Dejan Milojevic Dies
However, the trade was preceded by tragic news on the West Coast. The NBA has postponed a game between the Warriors and Jazz following the death of Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic. Milojevic, 46, suffered a heart attack in Salt Lake City on January 16 during a private team dinner and passed away the following day. Milojevic had served on Steve Kerr’s staff since 2021 and was well-regarded both within the NBA and abroad. Furthermore, at least one team interviewed Milojevic about their head coaching vacancy following the 2022/23 season.
Prior to coming to the NBA, Milojevic established himself as a proven winner in Eastern Europe. Additionally, his time coaching Serbian side Mega meant that he was closely involved with the early development of Nikola Jokic. “We are absolutely devastated by Dejan Milojević’s sudden passing. This is a shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and an incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure to work with him. We grieve with and for his wife, Natasa, and their children, Nikola and Masa,” The Warriors wrote on social media.
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