Raptors: 3 reasons why trading Pascal Siakam makes no sense

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Mar 31, 2021; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (43) dribbles the ball up the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports /

The Toronto Raptors have started this season off at 5-3, and they should be given a hearty chunk of praise for doing so with Pascal Siakam still recovering from a shoulder injury. In the meantime, Siakam’s absence has helped Scottie Barnes show exactly why he was one of the best draft prospects from the 2021 class.

Barnes has averaged 18.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game without Siakam, proving that his offense has already come a long way from where it was at Florida State. While most Raptors fans are thrilled at the prospect of Siakam and Barnes playing alongside one another, some talking heads might want Pascal to be traded away.

On The Athletic NBA Show, the idea of a Siakam trade was once again floated, as some media voices believe that Toronto should just ditch one of the best post players in the game with the goal of moving forward with a new ultra-young lineup. This is, naturally, a very rash decision.

Trading Siakam would not be ideal for the Raptors, as they made the Barnes selection with the idea of pairing the two together for years to come. This list could be 50 items long, but these 3 reasons stand out as the main justification for holding onto their Cameroonian sensation.

3 reasons the Toronto Raptors need to keep Pascal Siakam.

3. He fits with the timeline

If Barnes looked just as raw as we thought he would be out of college and the Raptors were mired near the bottom of the standings, Masai Ujiri might come to the conclusion that this team should dip fully into rebuild mode. However, that hasn’t been the case so far in 2021-22.

Barnes is already an above-average NBA scorer, and while the Raptors are not a championship contender, they’ll give teams their best shot every night. This might speed up the timeline and eliminate the idea of a full-scale teardown. If that is the case there is no reason to trade Siakam.

Pascal Siakam could help the Toronto Raptors contend.

Imagine a lineup with Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. holding the backcourt down and the combination of Barnes, OG Anunoby, and Siakam moving all around the frontcourt. The Raptors are faced with a tough climb back to the top given the contenders in the East, but they can’t accomplish it without Siakam.

What would the Raptors even get for Siakam? Four players that, if they stood on their head, could potentially equal Siakam? Picks for players that will in all likelihood not turn out to be as good as Siakam? You drafted the star, developed him, and signed him to a huge contract. Don’t just toss him away.