While the award recognizes Siakam’s stellar play, the veteran forward admitted with a laugh that he didn’t even know the trophy existed. “I didn’t know they had a trophy for that,” Siakam said during his postgame press conference. “I know I’m not the guy everyone talks about a lot. I’m just a young kid from Cameroon who gave everything to the game of basketball. I don’t cheat the work.”

Whether or not he knew about the Larry Bird Trophy, Siakam left no doubt he earned it. The 30-year-old averaged 24.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game in the series, scoring 30 or more points in three contests—including a clutch 31-point performance in Game 6 to close out the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

In that decisive game, Siakam added five rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and a steal while shooting 10-of-18 from the field, 3-of-5 from three-point range, and 8-of-11 from the line. He secured five of nine media votes to edge out teammate Tyrese Haliburton for the MVP honor.

A native of Douala, Cameroon, Siakam’s path to the NBA has been anything but conventional. He was discovered by fellow Cameroonian and NBA veteran Luc Mbah a Moute, who helped him make the journey to the United States. From there, Siakam’s work ethic and development turned him into one of the league’s great international success stories—and a two-time NBA Finals participant.

This postseason run marks a turning point for Indiana. The Pacers took down the Milwaukee Bucks in five games, stunned the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in another five-game series, and then outlasted the Knicks in six to return to the league’s biggest stage.

Siakam’s veteran presence, steady production, and leadership have been crucial every step of the way—and now he has another opportunity to add to his legacy on the NBA’s grandest stage.

Siakam secured five of the nine votes to edge out teammate Tyrese Haliburton for the honor. In the decisive Game 6, Siakam delivered a commanding stat line: 31 points, five rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and a steal. He shot 10-of-18 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, and hit 8-of-11 free throws.

The veteran forward brought the consistency Indiana needed, averaging 24.8 points, five rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game throughout the series. This marks Siakam’s second trip to the NBA Finals, further cementing his legacy as a postseason performer.

Obi Toppin added 18 points and six rebounds against his former team, while Pacers fans—decked out in gold—gave the team a rousing ovation as the game wound down with 47.2 seconds left. Indiana will travel to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder in Game 1 of the Finals on Thursday night.

On the Knicks’ side, OG Anunoby led the way with 24 points. Karl-Anthony Towns posted a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Jalen Brunson contributed 19 points. However, New York’s 17 turnovers—forced by relentless Pacers pressure—ultimately proved too costly in a physical, high-stakes battle.

The Knicks, who haven’t reached the NBA Finals since 1999, were unable to extend the series. The tone was set early with bruising play: Towns limping after a hard foul, Haliburton clutching his jaw after hitting the floor. Neither team backed down in what became a gritty showdown.

Indiana pulled away early in the second half with a 9–0 run that opened up a 78–63 lead, fueled by three straight three-pointers—two from Thomas Bryant and one from Andrew Nembhard. That momentum shift proved decisive, as the Pacers maintained control the rest of the way.

Siakam delivered a postseason performance to remember, scoring 39 points on an ultra-efficient 15-of-23 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. He added five rebounds and three assists to his stat line. Still, the veteran forward deflected praise, crediting his teammates for keeping him locked in and aggressive throughout the game, according to The Athletic.

“Whatever was out there, I just took it,” Siakam told reporters. “What makes us special is that we have different weapons and no one is caught up in who gets the credit. We just play how the game presents itself—and do it our way. It doesn’t matter who’s scoring.”

The two-time NBA All-Star emphasized the importance of staying within himself while acknowledging his teammates’ role in his big night. “I just try to play my game,” he said. “Shout-out to my teammates for finding me and making sure I stayed aggressive the whole game. It’s going to take all of us to get where we want to go.”

Siakam appreciates being viewed as a leader

Despite their commanding position in the series, Siakam warned against complacency. Heading back to Indiana with a 2–0 lead is a huge advantage, but the Knicks remain dangerous, particularly if they regain offensive rhythm. The veteran forward stressed the need to stay grounded and expressed appreciation for the leadership role he’s taken on.

“We can’t ride the waves,” Siakam said. “We can’t get too high with the highs or too low with the lows. I just appreciate the opportunity I have here, being around guys who want to hear my voice and who want me to speak up.”

Haliburton praises Siakam’s impact

While Siakam stole the spotlight, he wasn’t the only one setting the tone. Point guard Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana’s floor general and vocal leader, made sure to recognize what Siakam brings to the table on nights like this.

“That’s why we brought him here. It’s what he’s here to do,” Haliburton said. “He can get a bucket in so many different ways. He started the game hot, and we just kept feeding him. He made big shot after big shot, really killing their momentum.”

Haliburton highlighted Siakam’s composure in the face of a hostile road environment and high-stakes moments. “When you’re in a place like the Garden and the crowd is into it, those shots can break their spirit,” he added. “He just kept making big plays. He was amazing for us—a big reason why we came out on top.”

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, moving Anunoby was just the first domino to fall up north. Now, Masai Ujiri is looking forward to finding a trade partner for his other veteran soon-to-be free agent, Pascal Siakam.

Siakam was supposed to be the Raptors’ franchise player in the post-Kawhi Leonard era, and that wasn’t the case. Even so, he’s always been a valuable two-way player who could be just what a pretender needs to become a real and legitimate NBA championship contender.

His deal is set to expire after this season, which is something to consider when making a run at him. He hasn’t actively pushed to be traded, but the fact that he hasn’t talked about extending his stay either speaks volumes of his desire to leave.

NBA Rumors: Landing Spots For Pascal Siakam

Siakam isn’t getting any younger, and he’s likely looking to get the last big payday of his career with whoever trades for him. That’s another big factor to consider here.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the teams that could realistically look to make a run at him. Where would he thrive the most? Where could he pursue another ring? Let’s break it down.

3. Atlanta Hawks

While we don’t think of the Atlanta Hawks as a championship contender, they were reportedly quite aggressive in their pursuit of Siakam in the offseason, shortly after moving John Collins. That interest in Siakam hasn’t dissipated at all, according to the latest reports.

The Hawks could deploy an all-shooter lineup with Siakam as a slightly undersized center, or they could even play him next to either Clint Capela or Onyeka Onkogwu. They do have the assets to pull this trade off.

2. Sacramento Kings

The Sacramento Kings have already shown that they won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to get better, even if that means taking big risks. Well, they could do that by pairing Siakam with Domantas Sabonis, and they were reportedly keeping tabs on him earlier in the season.

The Kings could use Keegan Murray at the three and play with a jumbo lineup. They’d have multiple passers and shot-creators on the floor at the same time. Nonetheless, it seems like it could also create several spacing problems.

1. Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have also been linked with Siakam for quite a while now. However, Draymond Green’s suspension may have been a blessing in disguise for them, as it finally allowed them to unleash Jonathan Kuminga, so they might not be interested in him anymore.

Even so, this just makes too much sense for Steve Kerr’s system. He’s a seamless fit for what they do, being a great passer for someone his size and a somewhat undersized big who can play within his role. They could use his scoring touch.

But that could be just water under the bridge now. He seems happy to be in the Bay area, and his current teammates have embraced him as well, as least for the time being.

Still, that experiment may not be in the Dubs’ best interest. So, if that fails, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes they could pursue Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam.

NBA Rumors: Warriors Could Trade Chris Paul To Get Pascal Siakam

(via Bleacher Report)

The Trade: Paul, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and a 2026 first-round pick (top-seven protected) to the Toronto Raptors for Pascal Siakam and Christian Koloko

“The outgoing package includes a potential reserve guard (Paul), a swingman who’s yet to average 21 minutes (Kuminga), an unproven rookie (Podziemski) and a future draft pick.

The incoming package, on the other hand, features a two-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA honoree in Siakam, who would immediately check off a ton of boxes.

The 29-year-old could be Curry’s scoring co-star, a secondary creator, a pick-and-roll screener, a rebounder, a versatile defender and a transition attacker.”

Then again, this will only happen if Paul isn’t the player the Warriors need him to be or if they realize he wasn’t a good fit to begin with. For now, it seems like they’ll give it a shot.

The former first-overall pick has barely been on the court since arriving in Brooklyn, and a lot of people have already lost all faith in him as a future star of the league.

However, he’s still young and some other team could look to bring his career back from the ground. With that in mind, Bleacher Report put together a trade idea that would send him to the Toronto Raptors for Pascal Siakam.

NBA Rumors: Nets Could Trade For Pascal Siakam

(via Bleacher Report)

“Brooklyn Nets receive: Pascal Siakam

Toronto Raptors receive: Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas, 2027 first-round pick (top-eight protected, via PHI) and 2029 first-round pick (via DAL)

If the Nets legitimately have a star in Mikal Bridges—the soon-to-be 27-year-old certainly looked the part after his deadline deal to Brooklyn—then they should be looking to slot other stars around him.

They have a some solid-or-better role players in their supporting cast, but Bridges is their only player in or around the elite tier.

Making a mega-move for Pascal Siakam would change that.

The 29-year-old may not be a tier-one superstar, but he is a two-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA honoree who has been the second-best player on a world champion. While one may debate whether he or Bridges could carry an upper-half offense on their own, in tandem, they might hit most of the statistical marks expected from a first and second option.

And on defense, forget about it. They’d cover an absurd amount of ground together, and that’s before accounting for the many other stoppers Brooklyn would have on the roster, like Nic Claxton, Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale.

(…)

Toronto, meanwhile, probably just needs to rip off the Band-Aid and fully embrace a rebuild already. Fred VanVleet and Nick Nurse are gone. Do the Raptors really think highly enough of their short-term outlook to pay what it could cost to keep both Siakam and O.G. Anunoby in free agency next summer?

Toronto should be looking for a way out, and this offer could suffice.”

Truth be told, this makes sense for all parties, as the Raptors simply cannot afford to let Siakam walk away as a free agent. The Nets, on the other hand, cannot keep waiting for Simmons anymore.

Some people doubt he’ll be able to coexist with Stephen Curry, not because of the fit but because of the fact that he’ll likely have to come off the bench, which is unchartered territory for him.

With that in mind, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report put together a trade idea that would send Paul, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and 2028 first-round pick (top-seven protected) to the Toronto Raptors in return for Pascal Siakam.

Warriors Could Trade For Siakam

(Transcript via Bleacher Report)

“So, is this too much for Golden State to pay for a rental? You could maybe argue that, but the Warriors wouldn’t if they felt the trade moved them closer to another championship. They need more scoring punch, playmaking, length and defensive versatility, and Siakam checks every box. He’s a two-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection for a reason.

Put Siakam in the same frontcourt as Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson manning the guard spots, and that sure looks like a championship-caliber lineup.”

Of course, this would only happen if the Paul experiment doesn’t get off to a solid start, and while getting Siakam could be costly, he’d give them another versatile defender and shotmaker to pursue another championship.

Perhaps, no player has been involved in more rumors than Pascal Siakam. He’s older than most, and his skill set could be a perfect fit for multiple contenders, so that’s not much of a surprise.

Notably, it seems like the Raptors are finally considering moving on from him. However, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, his reluctance to sign a contract extension could be an issue.

Pascal Siakam Doesn’t Want To Sign An Extension

(via The Athletic)

“This will be Siakam’s eighth NBA season, so he can sign for 30 percent of the salary cap either now via extension or next offseason as a free agent with the Raptors or any other franchise. The Raptors are eligible to sign Siakam to a maximum contract extension of four years and at least $192 million. Thus far, there have been no substantive conversations surrounding an extension, league sources involved in the discussions who are not authorized to speak publicly tell The Athletic. And for Siakam’s part, the two-way stalwart has never requested to be traded, those sources added.

Several teams have shown interest in pursuing Siakam via trade over the past three months, but the external market has been tempered a bit due to the fact that it’s been made clear, league sources say, that Siakam would not extend with a team that trades for him. Still, the Atlanta Hawks have been the strongest suitor for Siakam, and talks between them and Toronto were fluid and ongoing as recently as Las Vegas Summer League in July.”

There’s no denying that the Atlanta Hawks — and several other teams, for what it’s worth — could benefit drastically from trading for him, but it might be a huge risk if he won’t commit for the long run.

Trae Young was lethal last season with 73 games started, 10.2 assists per game (career highest), 1.1 steals per game and 26.2 points per game, making him one of the best Hawks of the season.

However, the Atlanta Hawks were unable to avoid a first round elimination to the Boston Celtics 2-4. Despite the poor results in the postseason they are determined to start the upcoming season as contenders.

The Atlanta Hawks strategy for the upcoming season is similar to that of other NBA teams, after the Draft they are looking for extra players in the free agency to adjust the bench and cover other spots.

Who did Trae Young follow recently on Instagram?

Multiple sources and social media accounts claim that Trae Young recently followed Pascal Siakam on Instagram, which could suggest that the Hawks are interested in Siakam. After doing a second check on Trae Young’s account (traeyoung) we found out that it is true, he is following Paskal (pskills43).

Pascal Siakam is an NBA champion. He won a ring playing for the Toronto Raptors in 2019. In 2023, the Raptors did not advance beyond the first round, and Siakam only played in one game.

Green has been the leader of this team since becoming a starter, but his reputation took a big hit— no pun intended— after his altercation with Jordan Poole. Also, his offensive numbers haven’t been great, albeit his impact and production go beyond the stat sheet.

But all things considered, Green is the only ‘moveable’ player from the dynasty right now. And with their title window closing right before their eyes, NBA analyst Eric Pinus believes they could swap him with Raptors star Pascal Siakam.

NBA Trade Rumors: Warriors And Raptors Could Swap Draymond Green ForPascal Siakam

(Transcript via Eric Pinus — Bleacher Report)

“The Toronto Raptors are expected to make some changes, but it’s unclear how far they’ll go. Interested teams hope players such as OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam will become available. If they do, it will be at a significant price in players and draft compensation.

Siakam is a little more complex at a pricier $35.4 million salary with $38 million due for 2023-24. TheMaverickscould be a suitor. One executive suggested theWarriorsgive up their younger players (James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and/or Moses Moody) along with Draymond Green to the Raptors for Siakam and others.”

The Warriors haven’t been able to find consistency throughout the season, and the young players may not be ready to contribute just yet. Stephen Curry isn’t getting any younger and they need to make the most of him while he’s still in his prime,sowe should keep an eye on them if they continue to struggle prior to the deadline.

But their current plan and timeline don’t fit their veterans. And there have been some rumblings about their older players trying to force their way out of Canada. Also, Masai Ujiri has always been known for maximizing his assets.

So, now that they’re struggling and with them likely going through a panic sale before the upcomingtrade deadline, let’s take a look at the likeliest destinations for their best player:Pascal Siakam.

NBA Rumors: 3 Potential Landing Spots For Pascal Siakam

3. Sacramento Kings

Against all odds, logic, and common sense, the Sacramento Kings struck gold with the Tyrese Haliburton trade. So, why not make it 2-for-2 and give De’Aaron Fox another dominant big man to play with?

They could give up Davion Mitchell, Richaun Holmes, and Harrison Barnes to pair Siakam with Domantas Sabonis. The Twin-Towers model is kind of outdated in today’s NBA, but they sure complement each other just fine.

2. Phoenix Suns

It’s not a secret that Deandre Ayton doesn’t want to play for the Phoenix Suns anymore. His effort— or lack thereof has been alarming, and that’s not likely to change even if Monty Williams leaves— which he won’t.

So, they could try and salvage their season by swapping the former first-overall pick with Siakam, a two-way big with playmaking skills. The Raptors would get another young foundational piece to build around.

1. Dallas Mavericks

Mark Cuban has taken offense to the comments about getting Luka Doncic more help, but that doesn’t make them any less true. The Dallas Mavericks are a one-man show, and Doncic might want to leave at some point.

Even if that’s not the case, the Mavs owe it to the game of basketball to put Doncic in a position to succeed. They could do that by trading Christian Wood, Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr., and a first-round pick for Siakam.