Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam recently inked a four-year, $189.5 million max deal, but a Western Conference contender almost swiped him away at the deadline.
The Sacramento Kings were Indiana's strongest competition for Siakam in January, but their front office slipped up. The Athletic's Sam Amick recently reported that people in the Kings' organization made past comments about the two-time All-Star.
"Behind the scenes, somewhat disparaging remarks were made that came from the Kings about his game," Amick said on Sactown Sports 1140. "The way it was framed to me in an attempt to drive down what it would take to get him some gossipy-type feedback on his game had gotten back to him.”
The move worked out for all but the Kings, as the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2014. Meanwhile, Siakam's numbers spiked in 41 games in Indiana, averaging more than 21 points on higher shooting from the field and 3-point range.
Alternatively, it's safe to say the Kings regret their apparent comments, missing out on the postseason entirely.
