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.
2. He could be the solution at center
Siakam made his name as a traditional power forward before expanding to a multifaceted role, but the Raptors might need to make a lineup alteration that puts him down in the post more often. So far, the production that they got out of their center spot hasn’t necessarily been impressive.
Khem Birch looks like a robust interior finisher, but his offensive volume has been lacking. Precious Achiuwa has tons of potential, but calling his finishing inside a major concern is being very kind to him. Siakam might be their best offensive option in the frontcourt in both 2021-22 and beyond.
Pascal Siakam could be the center the Toronto Raptors need.
Siakam moving to center might seem odd, but the team had a modicum of success with him in that role during their depleted days in Tampa, and it could help him play alongside Barnes, Anunoby, and Trent. The switchability in this lineup would be insane, and it could remain that way for the next few seasons.
Siakam is an offensive game-changer in the post and on the perimeter, as he is a more complete offensive player than Birch will ever be or Achiuwa is in the interim. If the Raptors remain committed to winning, Siakam needs to stay and get a chance to play the 5-spot in this ultra-small lineup.
1. We need to see him play with Scottie Barnes
The Raptors’ desire to build a positionless lineup that becomes hellacious on defense and efficient on offense was predicated around Barnes and Siakam playing together. Where some might see a redundancy, the Raptors see themselves reinforcing their strengths and creating a lineup unique to the NBA.
The Raptors still haven’t seen Siakam play with Barnes, and abandoning Siakam to give Barnes more run is doing them both a huge disservice. Siakam is not a traditional power forward given how versatile he can be, and neither is Barnes.
The Toronto Raptors must unleash Pascal Siakam next to Scottie Barnes.
Both are plus defenders that can handle the ball, drive to the rim, and pull-up to shoot, although Siakam can do so with a bit more efficiency than Barnes. The Raptors have an intriguing plan given the combination of these two, so why not let them go out and try to take on the league together?
The team has refuted Siakam trades in the past, and while that shouldn’t necessarily be taken as a sign that the Raptors think this core can win a championship this season, they clearly believe that both Barnes and Siakam are key parts of what will get this ship turned around.