The Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers recently agreed to a Pascal Siakam-led trade. Siakam had spent the first seven and a half season of his career in Toronto before the deal, and shared a heartfelt letter with Raptors fans, via The Players' Tribune.

He reminisced on his career with the Raptors in the letter. Siakam also wrote that he previously envisioned potentially spending his entire career in Toronto.

“Toronto is just all I’ve known — and all I’ve wanted to know. I never asked for a trade. Maybe this sounds naive, but I felt I could be one of those dudes who spends his whole career on one team. That was my mentality even with the rumors. Like: I helped the Raptors win their first NBA title. So eventually I’ll help them win their second. I always took that as a given, you know? I took a lot of pride in being that guy who’s connecting the past and the future here, and keeping it all as one era. But I also realize it’s a business … and it’s their right to decide when it’s time for an era to end.”

Pascal Siakam's Raptors career

Pascal Siakam emerged as a star with the Raptors. He made two All-Star teams and helped Toronto with the 2019 championship. The team is entering a rebuild, however, and they ultimately decided to trade Siakam.

Siakam will be missed in Toronto to say the least. Not only did he perform well, but Siakam had become a leader.

Siakam will take his 22.2 points per game on 52.2 percent field goal shooting to a Pacers team looking to compete. Indiana was looking for another star to join Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner and Siakam was the answer.

The Pacers currently hold a 24-17 record and are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Indiana features one of the best offenses in the NBA and Pascal Siakam's presence will only help the team improve moving forward. The Pacers should be able to climb the standings as the 2023-24 season continues.

Siakam is surely excited to join a contender, but he will clearly miss playing with the Raptors in Toronto.