Pacers get Siakam in a trade with Raptors

Pascal Siakam is being traded to the Indiana Pacers, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Wednesday, ending a run of nearly eight years with the Toronto Raptors during which he was a two-time All-NBA selection, twotime All-Star and part of the team that won the 2019 NBA title.

Siakam is going to Indiana in exchange for three future first-round draft picks and a pair of players with NBA championship rings — guard Bruce Brown and forward Jordan Nwora — said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade was still pending league approval.

ESPN, which first reported the full terms of the trade, also said the New Orleans Pelicans were involved and would send Kira Lewis to Toronto as part of the deal. That move would put the Pelicans in position to get below the luxury tax threshold.

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 AllStar 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. Siakam is averaging 22.2 points this season.

Brown will be joining his fifth different team after stints with Detroit, Brooklyn, Denver and the Pacers. He was averaging a careerbest 12.1 points this season.

Nwora averaged 5.2 points with the Pacers this season. Lewis appeared in 118 games over parts of four seasons with the Pelicans and was averaging 2.9 points this season.

WARRIORS ASSISTANT COACH DIES OF HEART ATTACK >>

Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, a mentor to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and a former star player in his native Serbia, died Wednesday in Utah after suffering a heart attack, the team announced. Milojević, part of the staff that helped the Warriors win the 2022 NBA championship, was 46.

Milojevic died in Salt Lake City, where he was hospitalized after the medical emergency happened during a private team dinner on Tuesday night. The Warriors had been scheduled to play the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, a game the NBA postponed.

OKC'S GIDDEY WON'T BE CHARGED >>

Oklahoma City guard Josh Giddey will not face charges related to an accusation that he had an improper relationship with an underage girl, police in Newport Beach said Wednesday when announcing that it had closed its probe of the Thunder guard.

In a statement, the department said its investigation was complete and detectives were “unable to corroborate any criminal activity.”

In a since-deleted post, an anonymous social media user said in November a girl who is seen with the Australian in videos and photographs was a high school junior at the time. Giddey turned 21 in October.

Giddey is not entirely in the clear. The NBA also is investigating, and spokesman Michael Bass said Wednesday that the league is aware of the findings in the police investigation and is “continuing our review” of the matter.

TIMBERWOLVES 124, PISTONS 117 >>

Anthony Edwards had 27 points and eight assists to lead visiting Minnesota over Detroit. The Pistons are 2-35 after winning two of their first three games, including a 28-game losing streak that matched the NBA record.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 27 points for Minnesota. Jaden McDaniels had 23 and Rudy Gobert added 19 points and 16 assists.

Jaden Ivey scored 32 points for Detroit.

Jayson Tatum scored 24 points and Jaylen Brown returned from a one-game absence to score 21 on Wednesday night and lead host Boston over San Antonio in Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama's first game on the Celtics' famous parquet floor. The 7-foot-3 French rookie finished with 27 points and five rebounds in 27 minutes.

The Celtics improved to 20-0 at home, extending their franchise record.

CELTICS 117, SPURS 98 >>

Dejounte Murray hit a 17-foot jumper as time expired to give host Atlanta a victory over Orlando. After Paolo Banchero made a 3-pointer to tie it at 104 with 8.4 seconds left, the Hawks inbounded to Murray. He dribbled down the left wing with Markelle Fultz, pulled up and swished the jumper to finish off a 26-point night.

Banchero led the Magic with 26 points.

HAWKS 106, MAGIC 104 >> KNICKS 109, ROCKETS 94 >>

Julius Randle scored 31 points, Jalen Brunson added 30 and host New York beat Houston. Fred VanVleet had 24 points and 12 assists for the Rockets.