TORONTO, ON — The New Orleans Pelicans have traded guard Kira Lewis, Jr., a native of Hazel Green, to the Toronto Raptors as part of a bigger three-team deal.
Raptors all-star forward Pascal Siakam heads to Indiana for Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three first-round picks. New Orleans also attached a 2026 second-round pick in the deal for a move that is cost-saving for the team. New Orleans now moves under the luxury tax. The team has never paid in their franchise history.
It is a huge move for Indiana, the NBA's highest-scoring team this season. The Pacers entered Wednesday at No. 6 in the Eastern Conference and soon will get to pair Siakam alongside All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton — who is currently out with a hamstring issue.
Siakam is in the final year of his contract, one that pays him nearly $38 million this season, and becomes eligible this summer to sign a five-year deal that could be worth as much as $247 million. The Pacers are expected to at least consider giving Siakam such a deal.
Lewis, Jr. is a former first-round pick for the Pelicans in the 2020 draft. The Hazel Green High School alumnus appeared in 54 games in his rookie season, averaging 6.4 points and 2.3 assists per game. The team and Lewis, Jr. were hoping for a productive sophomore campaign, but he suffered a torn ACL in December of that season. Lewis, Jr. missed the remainder of the season rehabbing for a potential return.
Siakam is averaging 22.2 points this season, and in parts of his eight years with the Raptors he averaged 17.4 points and 6.5 rebounds. He was an All-Star in 2020 and 2023 and was the last starter from Toronto's title team still with the franchise.
Brown will be joining his fifth different team once he arrives in Toronto, after stints with Detroit, Brooklyn, Denver and the Pacers. He was averaging a career-best 12.1 points this season, his sixth in the NBA.
Nwora averaged 5.2 points with the Pacers this season. Lewis appeared in 118 games — all in a reserve role — over parts of four seasons with the Pelicans and was averaging 2.9 points this season.
The move leaves a roster spot open for the Pelicans to use in either the buyout market or before the upcoming trade deadline. New Orleans could also use that spot on forward Matt Ryan, who is sidelined with an elbow injury, but was amongst the team leaders in three-point shooting this season. The Pelicans are currently 24-17 on the season.