Grading the Toronto Raptors starting lineup amid solid start

C: Pascal Siakam

Siakam is going to be in the All-NBA conversation once again, as he has been without question the best player for Toronto in this campaign. The Raptors need to find some way to survive without him, as it’s not a stretch to say that he’s a top-15 player in this league right now.

Siakam was averaging 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game before his injury, all of which would shatter his previous career-best numbers. Making 48% of his shots and playing solid defense shows that Siakam is not just stat-padding at the expense of his team.

Pascal Siakam is the Toronto Raptors’ best player.

Siakam is performing so well that he could earn a supermax contract if the voters are kind enough to him and he ends up becoming All-NBA once again. Replacing him is going to be damn near impossible in the short term, as even the victories Toronto has amassed have been very difficult slugfests.

Siakam’s poor showing in the bubble is now a distant memory, as the last few seasons have shown truly elite play on both ends. When he returns from injury, expect more excellent performances that further solidify both his individual standing as a game-changer and the Raptors’ status as a potential contender.

Grade: A+