Pacers’ Pascal Siakam makes Raptors slip-up after signing $189 million contract

“I wanna thank the Raptors…uh, the Pacers organization just for trusting me,” the two-time All-Star said.

Siakam was drafted 27th overall by Toronto in 2016, and stayed with the club until getting traded to Indiana in January. The Raptors sent Siakam to the Pacers for Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks.

Indiana has undoubtedly won the trade so far, as the Cameroon native averaged 21.3 points per game on 54.9% shooting with 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 41 regular-season contests with the team last year. He continued producing in the playoffs, leading to his new four-year, $189 million extension.

Siakam continued talking up the franchise, via Sports Illustrated’s Tony East.

“I’m just super excited about the future of the team,” the 2019 NBA champion said. “I just can’t wait for us to continue to get to work.”

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“It was great. Just them taking the time and coming, just talking with me. And I think for me, it’s just getting to know each other. They get to know who I am as a player, as a competitor,” Siakam said of the meeting. “For me, the goals were there. I always want to be [on] a team that aspires to win… we just had everything aligned for us.”

“It’s incredible,” he said of playing in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, “Because of the energy, the passion.”