Why Pacers’ Pascal Siakam trade feels a lot like Timberwolves’ deal for Rudy Gobert

The Indiana Pacers trading for Pascal Siakam feels a little bit like the Minnesota Timberwolves trading for Rudy Gobert. Hear me out: Two small-market franchises, both emboldened by the emergence of a young superstar, both a little a drunk on the possibility of becoming, perhaps overnight, a real postseason player, taking a high-risk flier on a big-name veteran whose best years may or may not be behind him. 

In a vacuum, they both probably overpaid to do so. Minnesota basically mortgaged vital organs to get its hands on Gobert. Indiana didn’t give up as much for Siakam (though three first-round picks isn’t exactly a bargain), but the heaviest cost will come with the max contract they’ll likely have to give him this summer. 

Siakam is not a max player, and he’s likely a depreciating asset. He’ll be well into his 30s at the end of whatever deal he signs next.

But in the context of a flyover franchise with limited appeal as a big-name destination (even in the case of Indiana, which could’ve had max space at its disposal), overpays are often the cost of business. Gobert is 31 years old and had $170 million in guaranteed money on his contract when the Wolves took him on. 

At the moment, it would appear that Minnesota’s gamble has paid off. The Wolves, who made the playoffs just two times in the 18 years preceding the Gobert trade, look like a legit title contender, particularly if they can add some shooting juice at the deadline. 

The Pacers, meanwhile, haven’t gotten past the first round since the Paul George days. Tyrese Haliburton, like Anthony Edwards in Minnesota, has gotten so good so quickly that the fear of missing out on even an outside opportunity to contend outweighs the fear of a compromised future. 

The future, after all, might be now. Nobody is vaulting Indiana to the top of the title conversation after this trade, but nobody had Minnesota as a contender after the Gobert deal, either. Maybe the Pacers are closer than we think. Not every team is the Lakers or Warriors. For some teams, just being really good is the goal, and from there you cross your fingers. Truth is, everyone crosses their fingers these days. 

Think about it: Outside of Boston, the East is wide open. The Pacers own the best offense in history. They have beaten the Bucks four times, the Celtics twice, split with the 76ers. And now they add a second All-Star level player, and it’s one…