Toronto Raptors: What is Pascal Siakam’s ceiling?
By Jason Mills
Pascal Siakam has had a winning culture to develop under
The Toronto Raptors have had winning regular seasons and postseason appearances each of the last six years. Since Siakam entered the league as a member of the Toronto Raptors he has been a key part of three of the Raptors’ best regular seasons in terms of wins (58, 59, and 51).
In his rookie season, Siakam started 43 games for the Raptors and split time between the big club and the G-League Raptors 905. In his second year, the Raptors won 59 games and Siakam was a key member playing with a strong bench unit that gave their starters plenty of rest and grew leads in games entrusted to them.
Last season, Siakam became a full-time starter for the Raptors and was awarded the league’s most improved player and became a first time NBA Champion.
During those first three seasons, he had plenty of good talent around him to make his transition from New Mexico State University to the NBA easier and the team’s reliance on his talent a smooth successful fit.
His first two seasons Siakam had a role to fill but the team had stars like Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to lean on for offense and leadership. In year three, it was Kyle Lowry, Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, and Marc Gasol.
Siakam did break out for a solid season last year. He did his part by playing hard and becoming the number two guy behind Kawhi Leonard but it did not hurt that he had several veteran guys to show him how to be a professional basketball player.
The Toronto Raptors have not just thrown their young developing talent into the fray of an NBA season and left them to fend for themselves. Dwayne Casey, the Raptors former head coach was a defensive-minded teacher and the current head coach Nick Nurse was an assistant under Casey and maintains that similar mentality about the game.
Therefore, Siakam has, for the most part, had a stable environment of both teammates and coaching philosophy that will simply allow the player to apply the lessons taught and learned. The player simply worries about playing the game no drama and no rumors its all business.