The Indiana Pacers may have to make a few moves to remain in the thick of the playoff hunt amid Tyrese Haliburton's recovery from a Grade 1 hamstring strain that will keep him out for at least the next two weeks. One popular suggestion for the Pacers is for them to acquire Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors via trade, as he fills plenty of needs for the team, helping them remain competitive without Haliburton and elevating their contending equity upon Haliburton's return.

However, there remain a few roadblocks along the way in the Pacers' pursuit of Siakam. For starters, there are many teams in the running for his services, with the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, and Golden State Warriors all reportedly showing interest in the two-time All-Star. But the biggest obstacle for the Pacers might be the Raptors forward's contract situation.

As one would recall, Pascal Siakam is in the last year of his contract, and at this point, any team trading for him will be running the risk of giving up assets for someone who can walk in free agency. This is the last thing the Pacers want. According to Matt Moore of Action Network, Siakam is “reticent” to give any assurances that he'll be re-signing with any team that would be trading for him.

Given the Pacers' standing as a small-market team, they will not be particularly thrilled with the idea of giving up a few draft assets and a few young prospects (such as Jarace Walker) for someone who could end up being just a rental. The Raptors can ask for the world in trade talks for Siakam, but they may have waited too long as teams are now wary of the risk involved in getting him.

As Moore wrote, “the Pacers are not going for a one-year shoot-the-moon title shot” as “they need sustainability”, especially when they're never big players on the free-agent market. Siakam's departure is not a foregone conclusion for the Pacers. They will have his Bird rights if they do trade for him. But that may not be a risk the franchise could afford to take.