2. Give Pascal Siakam some rest
In a league where stars are playing less than ever before as load management starts to kick in, Siakam is routinely playing upwards of 35 minutes a night without taking one night off unless his health makes it impossible. The Raptors are riding him until the wheels are falling off.
Siakam will still be a no-doubt All-Star (despite the best efforts of the Inside the NBA team), and he will also be the cornerstone of this team in the next few seasons. What benefit is there to grinding him into the dirt for a team that isn’t going to win anything?
The Toronto Raptors must rest Pascal Siakam.
Siakam has been very good lately, but he hasn’t been the All-NBA lock he was at the start of the season. Playing 40 minutes and taking 20 shots every night puts a huge physical burden on you, and the Raptors should be more cautious about Siakam is utilized.
Siakam resting more would go hand-in-hand with giving Scottie Barnes even more offensive leeway. We know Siakam is fantastic, but giving him some veteran rest days will help Toronto answer some of the burning questions surrounding this team.