Pacers' Pascal Siakam Reveals Mindset Entering Upcoming Season

The Indiana Pacers are gearing up for the start of the 2026-27 NBA season. While most of the roster looks the same, fans will enjoy watching a couple of new pieces.

Even though Ivica Zubac played in a handful of games following last season's blockbuster trade before the deadline, fans never got to watch him play alongside of Tyrese Haliburton. Kelly Oubre Jr. will also join the team after signing a two-year deal with the Pacers in free agency.

Both players are expected to be big pieces of a hopeful NBA Finals run.

While the new additions will be important, Haliburton's return is the biggest storyline to watch. Behind Haliburton, Indiana will need continued dominance from star forward Pascal Siakam in order to be a true contender in the Eastern Conference.

With that being said, Siakam recently spoke out with his mindset towards the game of basketball.

"You can’t make your name on playing cool basketball," Siakam said. "You gotta be a dog. There’s no pretty basketball that’s going to get you anywhere.”

Being willing to do the dirty work has been what the Pacers have hung their hats on in recent years. They are known for making games ugly. Indiana plays a scrappy brand of basketball.

Despite being a four-time NBA All-Star, Siakam has remained a scrappy player. He is willing to do whatever it takes for the team to win. That has helped him fit right in with the Pacers after being traded to Indiana by the Toronto Raptors.

Last season, Siakam put together a very strong year. He played in 62 games, averaging 24 points per game to go along with 6.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals. Siakam was the No. 1 option for the team with Haliburton sidelined due to a torn Achilles.

At 32 years old, Siakam is nearing the end of his prime. He remains one of the NBA's most underrated stars, but he knows that his championship clock is ticking.

Siakam won one NBA championship during his time with the Raptors, but he badly wants to bring one to Indiana. He almost helped accomplish that goal just two short years ago.

It will be interesting to see what the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season has in store for Siakam and Indiana. With Haliburton back on the court, the Pacers are at least a team to watch.

Hopefully, they can pick up where they left off before Haliburton's injury and be a legitimate NBA Finals contender.