For nearly a decade, Pascal Siakam was the embodiment of hustle and pride in Toronto as an elite forward. Comparison? He was forged in the shadows of Kawhi Leonard’s title run. But Siakam was powerful enough to cast his own, and has been hitting the headlines after the Indiana Pacers humbled the New York Pacers 4-2. Even as he now commands the Pacers through their deepest postseason push in 25 years, Siakam’s DNA remains etched into Raptors’ history. And even judging by fan murmurs and online reactions, that connection might still be too strong for some to accept his departure as ‘just business,’ as he has shown no signs of slowing down.

There is always a strange emotional gravity in watching an ex-Star thrive in a whole different franchise, especially when that star was never supposed to leave. As Siakam guided Indiana to the 2025 NBA Finals with poise and purpose, emotions overflowed not just from Raptors’ fans but from one of the league’s most polarizing voices, Dwight Howard.

While celebrating Indiana’s Eastern Conference triumph, the former All-NBA center posted a cryptic story that sent Raptors circles into a tailspin: “Pascal got my HOF nod.” The real shock came from a now-famous video uploaded by GAMEROOMTHEATER in which Howard, who was both funny and sad, gave a scathing reference and indictment on Toronto’s front office.

Howard even re-shared the video on his Instagram account. “Pascal! Oh my God. What is this you have on? Raptors! What were you guys thinking? I’m crying every day, man,” he said in disbelief. “Pascal is back in the finals. How could you get rid of the Hall of Fame Pascal Siakam? Toronto, what were y’all thinking?” The comments, which were passionate and honest, brought a lot of attention to the franchise’s choice to let go of its former Finals MVP candidate.

Siakam’s dominance during the Pacers’ run made Howard’s outburst resonate louder after he won the Larry Bird Trophy for his heroics this year. In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks, Siakam dropped a playoff career-high 39 points, slicing through the Knicks’ front line with an offensive package Toronto once prized but lost.

Then in the decisive Game 6, he led again with 31 points, helping his team Indiana close out the series 125-108 and book a Finals berth for the first time since 2000. While Tyrese Haliburton shined as a machine gun, Siakam was the reliable pillar, a two-way machine operating with the calm of experience and fire of legacy that he intends to build with his new franchise.

Raptors’ gamble on youth backfires as Pascal Siakam’s Finals return highlights missed window

Toronto’s choice to trade Siakam in January 2024 was called a rebuilding move, a long-term bet on Scottie Barnes and the young core. However, 17 months later, the Raptors have fallen to the bottom half of the Eastern Conference, and Siakam, now with the Indiana Pacers, will play the final. Dwight Howard, who had eight All-NBA selections and three Defensive Player of the Year awards, labeled Siakam “Hall of Fame Pascal.” This makes it harder to clarify the Raptors’ timeline that quite did not work well for them.

Siakam’s 2025 postseason stats stand as more than just numbers. They are vindication across the series against the New York Knicks. In 6 games, he averaged 27.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting over 55% from the field for a franchisee that once marketed him as the heir to its 2019 legacy. Then letting him go just as he entered his prime now read more like a miscalculation than a rebuild. And Dwight Howard’s emotion in this situation revealed how big of a blunder the Raptors have made.

Howard’s comments matched those disappointments and showed how fans felt as they saw Toronto depart from being a contender to being puzzled. “We’re crying, man. We’re kicking ourselves,” he lamented, which could have been a statement from the entire fanbase.

Siakam will now be seen in action against the Oklahoma City Thunder as he will intend to replicate the same performance against them as the series starts on June 5th. While the Raptors’ gamble may eventually bear fruit, in 2025 it’s Siakam and the team that believed in him. Dwight Howard’s unexpected salute made clear greatness doesn’t wait for your timeline, as Pascal is going to be the one to watch this week.