Warriors Land 4-Time All-Star and Longtime Target in Blockbuster Trade Idea

The Golden State Warriors might have a trade deadline Plan B after all.

ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel said the following on his ClutchScoops show.

“Keep an eye on what’s happening in Indiana. And one of the names that keeps being mentioned in circles in connection with the Warriors is somebody that they targeted in the past, Pascal Siakam. That’s a situation that I would just keep an eye on for the Warriors.”

If it becomes clear the Warriors won't get Giannis Antetokounmpo by Thursday's deadline, they should make an aggressive bid for Siakam.

Here is what a trade could look like:

The Trade

Warriors get: Pascal Siakam
Pacers get: Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, 2026 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick swap, 2032 first-round pick

Why the Warriors Do It

Siakam is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The 31-year-old power forward scores efficiently in the paint and from the perimeter, as he's fixed his three-point shot to the tune of a 38.6 percentage over the last two seasons. He's a good passer and rebounder. He's an above-average defender. What's not to like?

The issue for the Warriors is he's making $45.5 million this season. To match salaries to make a legal trade, the Warriors would have to either include Draymond Green or do some sort of four-for-one trade in which they lose Moses Moody.

For example, a player package of Kuminga, Moody, Buddy Hield and Al Horford would work for Siakam, but the Warriors would have ask themselves if they are better off with those three players instead of Green.

Regardless of which package they offer, they'll probably have to include some combination of three first-round picks. That's a big price to pay, but Siakam is under contract for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons and would be a great fit with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.

Siakam would give Curry the support he needs to keep the team competitive for the rest of this season, and perhaps more importantly, he'd make the Warriors title contenders in 2026-27.

Why the Pacers Do It

It's been assumed that the Pacers would essentially do no major trades this season and try to run it back next season with Tyrese Haliburton healthy.

But maybe that's the wrong assumption.

Keep in mind that they lost Myles Turner last offseason, so the team that made the 2025 Finals will likely never be back together.

A more prudent move might be attempting a more long-term rebuild, which is a realistic idea because Haliburtion is just 25 years old.

The Pacers get a 2026 first-round pick that should be in the teens of a very strong draft. They could use it to take an intriguing prospect, or they could package it with their own 2026 first to try to move up for one the elite 2026 prospects.

They also get swap rights in 2031 and a 2032 first, both of which could be extremely valuable, as Stephen Curry will be retired by then.

Also, keep in mind that the Pacers might like Kuminga more than most teams do. On Nov. 28, Siegel wrote “one team that has quietly been scouting Kuminga dating back to the start of the 2024-25 season and has continued into this year is the Indiana Pacers.”

The Pacers would probably try to immediately reroute Green to a contender, but even if they didn't, he could be traded or bought out in the offseason.