The Atlanta Hawks are in a much different spot now than they were in 2023 when they showed interest in a trade for now-Indiana Pacers star Pascal Siakam, then of the Toronto Raptors. That deal never came to fruition for myriad reasons.
Two years later and Hawks star Trae Young can only watch as the player he almost had as a teammate helps an(other) Eastern Conference rival to the NBA Finals.
Young was paying attention as Siakam and the Pacers eliminated the Knicks on Saturday.
Siakam had 31 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, and 1 steal in the Pacers’ 125-108 victory in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He earned the Larry Bird Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the ECF.
“Pascal hoopin… mannnn!” Young posted on X during the game on May 31.
The Pacers indeed paid a hefty price for Siakam, sending a package of three players and three first-round picks to the Raptors in January 2024.
They also signed him to a four-year, $188.9 million contract.
Hawks had their chance to land Pascal Siakam and passed
The Hawks and Raptors were linked in rumored talks for weeks before the latter’s deal with Indiana went down. Atlanta even offered AJ Griffin and De’Andre Hunter – and presumably draft capital – only to be rebuffed.
The Hawks tried to include Dejounte Murray, but reports are that he shot that idea down, and Atlanta obliged.
Murray was traded during the following offseason to the New Orleans Pelicans instead.
The Hawks and Murray agreed to a four-year, $114 million extension that coincided with reports that they were no longer in the running for Siakam. They traded Griffin (2024 offseason) and Hunter (2025 deadline) in separate deals.
From those two subsequent transactions, the Hawks received Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, and a pair of protected first-round pick swap options (Hunter, Cleveland Cavaliers) and Nikola Djurisic (Griffin, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat), who has not played with the Hawks yet but flashed in the G League.
It is hard to argue the Hawks are in a better place than the Pacers, given the latter is headed to their second NBA Finals while the former is heading into an offseason of uncertainty.
Siakam told Young to fight through during a tumultuous time this past season.
The Hawks had lost eight straight, with their most recent at the time being to Siakam and the Pacers. The three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection told Young, “I know how you feel, but just keep going.”
Seeing Siakam perform on the court and the kind of teammate he seems to be, the Hawks’ decision looks at least a little worse if not flat out wrong in hindsight.