Though the Indiana Pacers are in the midst of a four game losing streak, they've officially put themselves on the map. Tyrese Haliburton has arrived as a flat-out superstar at the helm of the league's best offense after his breakout campaign was spotlighted for all to see during the In-Season Tournament. However, their shortcomings were there for all to see as well and has really come to light in this four-game losing streak. That being that the Pacers cannot defend. At all.

The Pacers have the best offense in the league, but they also have the worst defense in the NBA. They're tied with the Washington Wizards in allowing 121.4 points per 100 possessions, the most in the league. Being associated with the Wizards in any way cannot mean anything good, and that certainly applies here. That's why the Pacers are being aggressive in seeking help on the trade front.

More than a week ago, it was reported that the Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, and Sacramento Kings were regarded as potential suitors for either Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby. That report came from Shams Charania of The Athletic. That report was also backed by Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports. Though Fischer reports that the Pacers are ‘more vested in the possibility of landing Anunoby' given his defensive prowess, Siakam, though not the defender OG Anunoby is, is a solid defender in his own right and could almost certainly bolster Indiana's putrid defense. The question then becomes: what is a fair trade for both sides?

Trade: Indiana Pacers trade Buddy Hield, Jarace Walker, Jalen Smith, and 2024 First-Round Pick to Toronto Raptors for Pascal Siakam

Why the Pacers do it

The Pacers do it because they're ready to win now and badly need not only defense, but also shot creation in the frontcourt. Tyrese Haliburton is truly fantastic and can get the Pacers any shot they want just about every time down the court, but they could really use another creator on offense that could either work alongside or in junction with Haliburton. Currently, Haliburton leads the Pacers in usage rate at 25.4%. That's a pretty low number, especially for a player of Haliburton's caliber; he ranks 62nd in the NBA in usage rate, but that's due to his nature as a facilitator first and a scorer second. But Myles Turner is second on the team at 23.1%, and most of his offense comes off of spoon-fed assists by Haliburton.

Pascal Siakam can become that secondary playmaker the Pacers lack. He isn't a great shooter; he's a career 32.4% shooter from deep and is shooting only 26.3% this season. But Siakam is a great slasher, roller, and finisher at the rim. Playing with Haliburton and his gravity not just as a passer but also as a shooter could unlock that even more and make for a great pairing.

Losing Buddy Hield and his marksmanship from deep would hurt, but the Pacers did draft sharpshooter Ben Sheppard out of Belmont in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft and should feel confident he can fill those shoes at some point. Jarace Walker was a prized pick at ninth overall in that draft, but he has barely played and the Pacers would be getting a fully actualized version of him. Indiana would also have to pay Siakam and get a guarantee from Siakam's camp he'd sign a long term extension, but the only hefty long term contract on their books at the moment is Tyrese Haliburton's. Indiana could make this move work off the court and could use Siakam on the floor. It makes sense for them.

Why the Raptors do it

Masai Ujiri saying "we need to start over"

If the Raptors want to start over, then getting picks and/or young players for Siakam and OG Anunoby is paramount. That is especially important with Siakam, who is slated to become a free agent after this season. They already let Fred VanVleet walk for nothing in free agency last season instead of getting value for him at the deadline, so doing so again with Siakam would be bad business. With Siakam's contract situation, they can't get a treasure trove of picks back with the threat of his free agency looming.

Getting one first-round pick and a player who was a top-ten pick six months ago would be a solid package in this situation. Perhaps they can get another first for Hield. Toronto can't lose Siakam for nothing. This certainly wouldn't be nothing.