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Can Pascal Siakam be the best player in Toronto Raptors history?

By Thomas Valentine

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 10: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during player introductions prior to an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Scotiabank Arena on February 10, 2020 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 10: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during player introductions prior to an NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Scotiabank Arena on February 10, 2020 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Pascal Siakam - Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors – Pascal Siakam (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Production

It can’t all just be about longevity. Otherwise, Udonis Haslem would be considered the greatest Miami Heat player of all-time. That’s no disrespect to Haslem, who has spent his entire 17-year NBA career with the Miami Heat, playing in 857 games in the process, but his accomplishments don’t necessarily stack up with the likes of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.

The majority of a player’s greatness comes from what they actually do on the court – as an individual and as a team. For now, let’s just stick to individual success and accolades. While they don’t matter as much team success, it’s still a big part of basketball and, after all, every team objectively needs a best player.

Siakam’s rise to stardom has been uncanny and unprecedented. In just four short years, he’s gone from a sporadic role player without a functional game to one of the stars of the NBA. Along the way, he’s become an NBA champion and the NBA’s Most Improved Player in the NBA last season.

In the 2019-20 NBA season, Siakam was on fire, averaging 23.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, shooting 46-percent from the field and 36-percent from deep. Out of all the aforementioned stars of the Toronto Raptors, only Vince Carter averaged more points per game than Siakam in his fourth season.

Carter averaged 24.7 points, while Bosh and DeRozan put up 22.6 points and 18.1 points respectively. Lowry isn’t featured on that list because the Raptors didn’t draft him, but in his fourth season in Toronto, he averaged 21.2 points per game.

All four players went on to have higher scoring averages with the Raptors, and while that isn’t any indication that Siakam will do the same – his progression is far less linear – it’s increasingly likely that he will continue to improve at the helm.

If that’s the case – or even if Siakam continues to put up similar production for the Raptors – then it’s likely that he will firmly shoehorn himself into the debate for the greatest player in franchise history.

Siakam’s consistency has wavered at times in the 2019-20 NBA season, but to expect him to out and put up 30 points on a nightly basis is setting your expectations far too high. Even at 25, it’s only his first season as the Raptors’ primary option. There will be hiccups but he will get better.

Who knows, Siakam could easily be averaging 26 points a night next season. Either way, this sort of individual production gets you into the conversation, but team success adds to it.

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