Pascal Siakam Says the Quiet Part Out Loud: Pacers’ Losing Culture Must Change
In the wake of yet another disheartening defeat—a 111-94 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on December 23, 2025—that extended the Indiana Pacers’ losing streak to six games and dropped their record to 6-24, Pascal Siakam didn’t hold back. The veteran forward, who has been the team’s most consistent performer amid chaos, delivered a raw, unfiltered assessment of the locker room’s mindset. What he said wasn’t just frustration; it was the “quiet part” spoken aloud—the unspoken acceptance of defeat that has permeated a franchise still reeling from last season’s NBA Finals run.
“When we decide that losing is not OK, we’re gonna go somewhere,” Siakam told reporters, his voice steady but laced with urgency. “But if we go out there every single day and it just feels like, ‘OK, we lost another game, it doesn’t matter,’ we’re just gonna keep sinking. I don’t think we’re gonna get out of it until when you lose and you go home and it really hurts you. Like if it doesn’t matter, we’re just gonna keep coming in here and do the same thing and lose every night and it’s gonna be it is what it is. Like, who cares? We just lost another game, it doesn’t matter. I don’t like that feeling. And if we don’t decide to change that, it’s not gonna change. We have to make it happen. Nobody is going to feel sorry for us. We can’t blame the schedule. The day that we decide that we’re tired of it, I think we’re gonna go somewhere.”
These words, captured in a viral clip shared by Pacers podcaster Alex Golden, struck a chord across the NBA landscape. Siakam, a 2019 NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors and a three-time All-Star, wasn’t pointing fingers at coaches, front-office decisions, or even the devastating injury to Tyrese Haliburton. Instead, he called out a cultural complacency—the subtle, insidious tolerance for losing that can creep into a team when expectations plummet and excuses abound.
The “quiet part” here is the tension between short-term pain and long-term gain. The Pacers’ front office and many analysts have framed this season as a necessary “gap year.” Haliburton’s torn Achilles in Game 7 of the 2025 Finals sidelined the franchise cornerstone for the entire campaign, Myles Turner departed in free agency to join those same Bucks, and injuries have piled up: Aaron Nesmith, Isaiah Jackson, Obi Toppin, and others have missed chunks of time. With a roster patchwork of young prospects, G League call-ups, and veterans on short deals, Indiana is positioned for a high lottery pick in the loaded 2026 draft—a potential co-star for a returning Haliburton and the locked-in Siakam.
Tanking, in theory, makes sense. A top pick could accelerate the rebuild, pairing elite young talent with a core that just competed for a championship. But as Siakam articulated, tanking is easier said than done when you’re the one suiting up every night. Competitive fire doesn’t switch off. For a player like Siakam—averaging 23.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals on efficient shooting—he’s grinding for wins that aren’t coming. The losses aren’t just numbers; they’re eroding joy, energy, and pride.
Siakam expanded on this in his nearly nine-minute postgame session, describing the team’s play as lacking “pace, determination, or pep.” “We just look slow. There’s no energy. It’s not fun to be around,” he said. “It drives me crazy. I’m trying to find solutions. I’m trying to get better. But it dictates my attitude.” This echoes earlier frustrations from T.J. McConnell, who questioned effort levels after prior defeats. The veterans are feeling the weight, while younger players navigate development in a losing environment.
This isn’t new in NBA history. Teams intentionally bottoming out often face internal strife—players wired to compete chafe against organizational patience. Think of the Process-era 76ers, where veterans clashed with the deliberate futility, or recent Wizards and Pistons squads where stars voiced similar discontent. Siakam’s comments highlight the human element: pride in performance doesn’t vanish because the big picture suggests sacrifice.
Yet, there’s nuance. Siakam isn’t demanding trades or publicly fracturing the locker room. He’s calling for internal accountability—a refusal to normalize defeat, even in a down year. As he noted, no one’s feeling sorry for the Pacers; excuses like the schedule won’t help. This could be a rallying cry, fostering resilience that pays dividends when Haliburton returns healthy next season.
The fallout has been swift. Social media buzzed with support for Siakam’s candor, with fans and analysts praising his leadership. Some interpreted it as subtle shade toward tanking, others as motivation for the group. Coach Rick Carlisle, ever the tactician, acknowledged the challenges but emphasized resourcefulness. Meanwhile, the Pacers made roster tweaks, signing stretch-big Micah Potter while releasing James Wiseman, signaling ongoing evaluation.
As Indiana prepares for a December 27 road matchup against the Miami Heat—fresh off extending their skid in a blowout loss to the Celtics—Siakam’s words hang in the air. Will they ignite a prideful response, even if wins remain elusive? Or will the “it is what it is” mentality prevail, securing that coveted lottery odds boost?
One thing is clear: Pascal Siakam just voiced what many in losing organizations whisper—the quiet truth that true competitors can’t fully embrace surrender, no matter the plan. In saying it out loud, he may have planted the seed for change, whenever the team collectively decides losing hurts enough to fight back.
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