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The Indiana Pacers swung for the fences with the acquisition of All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, taking a calculated gamble while serving notice as a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference.
The Pacers parted with Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round picks. In return, they landed a running mate for Tyrese Haliburton.
Oddsmakers also took notice.
Indiana is still a longshot to win in the NBA Finals this season, but the Pacers' title odds shortened from +6600 to +5000 at BetMGM, from +12000 to +7000 at DraftKings and from +10000 to +8000 at BetRivers.
The Pacers entered Thursday with a 23-17 record, seventh in the Eastern Conference. That's 8 1/2 games behind the Boston Celtics, but only a half-game behind the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, who currently occupy the last two playoffs spots above the play-in tournament.
Indiana went from +3000 to +2000 at BetMGM to win the Eastern Conference. The Pacers also shifted from +5000 to +2500 at DraftKings, but are still +4000 at BetRivers.
Siakam's length is expected to provide an immediate boost to a defense that ranks 29th in the NBA. That's the lowest among any team with a winning record this season, and Indiana has allowed at least 130 points 11 times.
The Pacers will attempt to snap a two-game losing streak on Thursday night at Sacramento, where Haliburton will sit out his "homecoming" against the Kings due to a hamstring injury. During the two-game skid, Indiana has averaged 107 points -- well below the Pacers' league-leading 125.6 points per game for the season.
Indiana is 4.5 games behind the Central-leading Milwaukee Bucks and 3.0 games back of Cleveland.
The Pacers are now +900 at DraftKings to win the division, down significantly from +2000 before the trade.
Siakam, 29, is in the final season of a four-year, $136.9 million contract. He is set to hit free agency this offseason barring an extension with the Pacers. ESPN reported that Siakam is eager to work out a new deal with the Pacers in the summer.
The two-time All-Star is averaging 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 39 starts this season. He's shooting 52.2 percent from the floor.
"We're incredibly excited to welcome Pascal to Indiana. As a two-time All-NBA selection and two-time NBA All Star, Pascal is a player that our organization has long admired and respected," Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in a statement. "We feel that his unique offensive skillset will complement our style of play, while his defensive versatility will be a valuable asset to our team."
More must-reads:
- Knicks reportedly expected to pursue Bruce Brown after Raptors-Pacers trade
- Pascal Siakam trade turns Pacers from fun to scary
- The 'Highest career PPG in the playoffs' quiz
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