Pascal Siakam isn’t dressing up his approach for the 2026-27 NBA season. The Indiana Pacers forward made it clear that his game starts with grit, not style points.
“You can’t make your name on playing cool basketball," Siakam said. "You gotta be a dog. There’s no pretty basketball that’s going to get you anywhere.”
That mindset fits the way Indiana has built its identity. The Pacers have leaned into a scrappy, hard-nosed brand of basketball, the kind that turns games messy and forces opponents to fight for every possession.
Siakam has fit that mold since arriving in Indiana in a trade from the Toronto Raptors. Even with four NBA All-Star nods to his name, he has stayed grounded in the dirty-work side of the game, doing whatever the team needs.
Last season, that showed up in a big way. Siakam played 62 games and averaged 24 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.1 steals. With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined by a torn Achilles, Siakam was the team’s No. 1 option.
Now the Pacers are looking ahead to a season that brings a familiar core back together, plus a couple of new faces. Ivica Zubac appeared in a handful of games after last season’s blockbuster trade before the deadline, though fans never got to see him alongside Haliburton. Kelly Oubre Jr. also joins Indiana after signing a two-year deal in free agency.
Those additions matter, but Haliburton’s return is the biggest storyline. With him back on the floor, Indiana’s ceiling rises. And behind him, the Pacers will need Siakam to keep carrying his share if they want to be a real force in the Eastern Conference.
At 32, Siakam is still in a prime window, but he knows time is moving. He already has one NBA championship from his days with the Raptors, and he wants another one in Indiana after coming close two years ago.
For the Pacers, the formula is simple: Haliburton returns, the newcomers settle in, and Siakam keeps setting the tone with the same rugged edge he’s always brought.
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Former Pacers Star Victor Oladipo Makes Emotional NBA Plea
Victor Oladipo is still trying to write one more chapter in an NBA career that once made him one of the leagues most compelling guards. The former Pacers standout recently posted an open letter to general managers across the league, making a direct appeal for another chance after years spent grinding through the long road back from injury and the uncertainty that comes with it.
Oladipos path has been shaped by major setbacks, including a ruptured quadriceps in 2019 and a torn patellar tendon in 2023, and he spent last season appearing in 26 G League games as he kept chasing a return. He has also held open tryouts this summer, underscoring how far he is willing to go to get back in front of NBA decision-makers, even as the finish line remains out of sight. [Read more 🡒]