Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam has landed inside the top 10 of HoopsHype’s latest power forward rankings, checking in at No. 8 as Indiana prepares for a season built around his production and Tyrese Haliburton’s return.
That matters because the Pacers are trying to turn the page toward what they hope is a strong 2026-27 campaign. Indiana was in the NBA Finals just two years ago, taking the Oklahoma City Thunder to Game 7 before Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles. Now Haliburton is scheduled to make his return in game one this season against the New Orleans Pelicans.
With much of the attention on Haliburton, Siakam’s role looms just as large. Indiana’s chances of getting back to that level depend heavily on the veteran forward continuing to play at a high level.
Siakam just finished a strong 2025-26 season, and with Haliburton sidelined, he was clearly the Pacers’ top option. In 62 games, the 32-year-old averaged 24 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc.
That came after a 2024-25 season in which Siakam posted 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists across 78 games. He shot 51.9 percent overall and 38.9 percent from three.
HoopsHype’s evaluation reflected both his all-around scoring and his ability to pressure defenses downhill. The outlet called him "One of the best driving power forwards in the NBA," and added that Siakam "uses his great quickness, length and ball-handling to get to the rim against slower opponents and finish around the basket."
They also praised the way he keeps defenses honest: "Siakam can also shoot it well enough from three and the midrange to demand respect, opening up driving lanes to either attack the rim or create for teammates, as the Cameroon native is a very underrated playmaker."
HoopsHype noted that Siakam has earned All-Star honors in each of the last two seasons and pointed to Haliburton’s return as a reason for optimism in 2026-27, even while acknowledging that Siakam is entering his age-32 campaign and may be starting to lose a step athletically.
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For Indiana, it adds one more odd layer to a rivalry that already has a little extra edge whenever these teams meet. The basketball still matters most once the ball goes up, but the setting is built to make the night feel bigger than the standings, with fans getting a themed event wrapped around a game the Pacers still need to treat like a business trip. [Read more 🡒]