Toronto Raptors: Can Pascal Siakam live up to over sized expectations?

Pascal Siakam broke out as a potential franchise cornerstone with the Toronto Raptors last year. Can he make the leap into stardom this season?

During the 2016-2017 season, Siakam started 38 games for the Toronto Raptors, he played nearly 15 minutes per game and made almost no impact. Last year, Siakam was in a clear bench role but made his impact felt whenever he stepped on the court.

The transformation Siakam made from his rookie to sophomore campaign was one of the most dramatic in recent memory. Many players improve significantly from between their first and second years, but few totally revamp their playing style and skill-set.

As a rookie, Siakam served in an energizer bunny type role. He played extremely hard, crashed the offensive boards, and picked his spots offensively.

Last season, Siakam played as a point-forward.  He developed a handle, was a secondary playmaker, and consistently attempted (even if he did not make) shots from beyond the arc. Siakam became a perimeter player seemingly overnight.

In many ways (non-traditional skillset, switchability on defense), Siakam is the definition of a modern-NBA player. In others (limited positional versatility, poor shooting) he doesn’t fit in the modern game at all.

Nick Nurse and how he can scheme around his strengths, will have a considerable impact on Siakam moving forward.

He has established himself as a rotation-level player. Now, he will look to take the next step. Siakam has the potential to be an All-Star candidate if everything breaks right. This season, the Raptors will settle on him establishing himself as a top 10-15 power forward in the league.