Pacers News: Insider Projects All-NBA Season for Indiana Star

With two-time All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton out for the entirety of the 2025-26 season, another Indiana Pacers star is expected to rise to All-NBA level in his stead,

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Frank Urbina of HoopsHype ranks Siakam as the second-best power forward in the league heading into the 2025-26 season. The 6-foot-9 vet is behind only nine-time All-NBA Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, and ahead of Orlando Magic All-Star Paolo Banchero (No. 3), Cleveland Cavaliers Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley (No. 4), and Dallas Mavericks All-Star Anthony Davis.

Last year, on a deep Finals-bound Pacers club, Siakam averaged 20.2 points on 51.9 percent field goal shooting and 38.9 3-point shooting, 6.9 boards, and 3.4 assists.

“Some may call this a hot take, having veteran swingman Pascal Siakam ranked as the second-best power forward in the NBA, three spots ahead of Davis, but after the Indiana Pacers’ run to the Finals, which Siakam played a vital role in, can you blame us?” Urbina writes.

At 31, Siakam emerged as the second-best player on a Finals squad last season. In 2018-19, he was the third-best player on the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors. As a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA honoree, Siakam is now on the cusp of potential future Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame consideration. Should he string together another few seasons around this level, he could make the grade.

“Siakam is a dynamic attacker, thanks to his quickness, size, spin move, and ball-handling at 6-foot-8, playing like an attacking power forward more than a play finisher,” Urbina opines.

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The 6-foot-8 vet enjoyed a stellar playoff run, notching averages relatively in line with his regular season output en route to the Finals. He averaged 20.5 points on 51.3 percent shooting from the floor and 42.7 percent shooting from deep, 6.3 boards, 3.4 dimes and 1.2 swipes a night.

Urbina predicts that Siakam should soak up some of Haliburton’s minutes and touches in his absence.

“Clearly, we expect a return to the All-NBA strata this season for Siakam,” Urbina predicts. A lot of that could hinge on how well the Pacers do sans Haliburton or Myles Turner.

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