Pascal Siakam Has All-Star Case For Pacers As NBA Announces New Format

INDIANAPOLIS — There’s a new NBA All-Star game format coming in 2025, and fan voting to name All-Stars for the 2024-25 campaign began on Thursday. Indianapolis was the host site for the 2024 All-Star festivities, and players from the NBA team in that market, the Indiana Pacers, shared their thoughts on the new-look All-Star game this week.

“I just know what I’m accustomed to. The best I’ve seen the All-Star game was [when] they had the East vs West format, I think they were playing to a point total,” Pacers center Myles Turner said. “It got really competitive. I understand trying to switch things up, but in my opinion, I think the classic East vs West is fun. It’s what I grew up on and what I know.”

In the new format, the 24 All-Stars will be divided into three teams of eight. A fourth team, made up of the squad that wins the Rising Stars Challenge, will join those three groups for a single-elimination tournament. Games will be played to a target score, and there’s prize money at stake for each team. Winning a round earns a roster more cash.

“I don’t know if I like that. But I think it will be good for viewers,” Pacers wing Ben Sheppard said. “I think it’s cool that they continue to add cool stuff like that.”

The NBA is searching for answers to make the game more competitive and interesting for fans. In the meantime, the process to name All-Stars is the same as it has been in recent seasons. Last year, the Indiana Pacers had just one player named an All-Star — and they have a few candidates this season again.

Who is the Indiana Pacers most likely All-Star for 2025?

While Pacers floor general Tyrese Haliburton was an All-Star last year, he isn’t the member of the blue and gold with the best shot at being honored this season. Right now, that’s Pascal Siakam — a two-time All-NBA forward who is having another great campaign.

Siakam is averaging 20.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game so far this season across 28 outings — he hasn’t missed a game for the Pacers yet. Only 14 players in the NBA are reaching all three of those statistical thresholds, and Siakam joins Karl-Anthony Towns, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, Paolo Banchero, and Joel Embiid as the only ones doing it in the Eastern Conference. Barnes, Banchero, and Embiid have missed significant time this year that will likely keep them out of the All-Star running — Siakam has been great and has production and availability markers that show his impact this year.

“Pascal showed his versatility tonight in a big way,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Thursday after Siakam dropped 25 points and 18 rebounds. “He just has so many tools. He’s having such a great year.”

Siakam is pairing that level of play with improved defense. He’s been better on that end of the floor this season, something he hoped would be the case when he re-signed with Indiana in the offseason. His steal and block rates are up from last season, and he has been tasked with difficult matchups all year — he’s been the primary assignment on Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jaylen Brown this season. His rebounding numbers are solid, too, and he just had an 18-rebound night this week in Phoenix. Indiana’s defensive rebound rate is higher with Siakam on the floor than off.

His outside shot has been more effective, too, a career-high 42.9% of Siakam’s threes have gone through the net this year. As a leader, he has taken a step forward on a still-growing Pacers team. He’s been vital for the blue and gold after signing a new contract in the offseason.

“I think from [2019] on forward, he’s kind of settled into being this All-Star player every year,” Suns star Kevin Durant said of Siakam. “I think he’s just stepped into that role of being an All-Star, and that confidence was there early on in his career.”

Siakam has been remarkably consistent, scoring between 14 and 26 points in 22 of his 28 games this season. He’s rarely had a bad night, shooting below 40% in a game just three times. At the same time, he’s hit 60% or better seven times, and he’s scored 20+ points on 16 occasions. He has three double-doubles, too, thanks to his effective rebounding.

Altogether, Siakam has been great and has continued to show exactly why Indiana traded for him back in January. The biggest factor holding him back from his third All-Star appearance might be the standings — the Pacers are currently eighth in the Eastern Conference at 13-15.

What about Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton?

Haliburton also needs the Pacers to be an improved group to receive consideration for his third-straight All-Star appearance. He also needs to be better individually, though. He’s been all over the place this season, both struggling early and hitting a groove at other times.

Haliburton is currently averaging 18.7 points and 8.0 assists per game, two numbers that are down from last season. That assist number would be Haliburton’s lowest since he played for the Sacramento Kings, and his inefficient play at times is limiting his scoring. His field goal percentage (42.7%) and three-point percentage (35.4%) are both currently at career-low levels.

“I think it’s just been big for me to keep that joy and that love and that passion for the game of basketball because I genuinely do love what I do,” Haliburton said during an improved stretch earlier this season.

Haliburton needs consistency to reach the All-Star conversation. His assists per game figure still ranks fifth in the NBA, and his peaks are still enough for Indiana to be lethal. But they’ve been infrequent. Barring a hot streak from both Haliburton and Indiana in the coming weeks, he will likely end up on the outside of the All-Star conversation.

No other Pacers player has much of a case to be named to 2025 All-Star festivities. Bennedict Mathurin and Myles Turner have been effective this season, but not at that level. Siakam has a solid shot, and Haliburton could make it with another strong run. It all may come down to how Indiana plays as a team when it comes to Siakam — if he does make it, he’ll be the first Pacer to test out the new All-Star format.