5 Pascal Siakam trades the Toronto Raptors may need to consider
By Jack Simone
5 Pascal Siakam trades the Toronto Raptors need to consider: Houston Rockets
It’s important to note that this type of trade would only be realistic if James Harden signs with the Houston Rockets this summer. At that point, they should be looking to land complementary pieces, and Pascal Siakam fits that mold.
The Toronto Raptors would get a decent haul in this deal, highlighted by Jalen Green, who the Rockets are reportedly not against trading this summer. Green has shown elite potential through his first two seasons in the NBA.
Toronto would also land Tate and Christopher, but more importantly, they’d get the fourth-overall pick. That would give them the chance to draft players like Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, or Jarace Walker.
Recent reports have indicated that Harden is likely to return, and in that case, landing an All-Star big man to play alongside him would be ideal. The Rockets would need to find him a co-star if they want to compete effectively.
Siakam’s defensive presence and scoring would fit in beautifully next to Harden. In fact, he would probably get more open shots than he has since when he played with Kawhi Leonard.
Gary Trent Jr. would have to accept his player option or agree to a sign-and-trade to be involved in this trade (which is unlikely), but his defensive presence and shooting would pair pretty well with Harden in Houston’s backcourt.
Potential starting lineups:
Raptors: (Fred VanVleet, if re-signed), Jalen Green, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl (if re-signed)
Rockets: James Harden (in this scenario), Gary Trent Jr., Jabari Smith Jr., Pascal Siakam, Alperen Sengun