Since winning the NBA Finals in 2019, the Toronto Raptors have lived in the middle of the pack. Obviously, Kawhi Leonard left for the LA Clippers, but they still had a solid core in place.
The trio of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby has led the team since then, but they haven’t had much success to show for it. Toronto has made two playoff appearances but missed out completely this past year after losing in the Play-In Tournament.
At this year’s trade deadline, the Raptors dealt for big man Jakob Poeltl, signaling their potential intent to continue competing for the postseason. However, if there were ever a time for them to hit the reset button and ignite a rebuild, it would be now.
So, if the Raptors decide to take that route, what could they get back in a trade package for Pascal Siakam?
5 Pascal Siakam trades the Toronto Raptors need to consider
Siakam has been a core piece of the Raptors organization since the 2016-17 season, emerging as a potential star during Toronto’s title year when he took home the Most Improved Player Award.
Since then, he’s made two All-Star teams and been named to two All-NBA teams. If the Raptors were to trade him, they would undoubtedly get a haul in return.
But why is this season the best time for them to rebuild? Well, because there are tons of teams looking to push their chips on the table and compete for a championship, and some of them have top picks in the 2023 NBA Draft.
With that in mind, here are five Siakam trades the Raptors should consider this offseason.
5 Pascal Siakam trades the Toronto Raptors need to consider: Portland Trail Blazers
If the Raptors decide to rebuild and reshape their roster, this would be an absolutely perfect trade for them to do so. Not only would they get draft capital, but they’d get some great young assets.
Simons looks like a star ready to burst out onto the scene. Pairing his scoring and shooting with Scottie Barnes would be a great formula for the Raptors moving forward.
Sharpe would also be a great get for Toronto, as he showed some elite potential toward the end of last year. He was so impressive that Portland might attempt to hold him out of this deal and throw in Nassir Little instead.
But best of all, the Raptors would land the third pick in this year’s draft, giving them the right to select one of Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller, both of whom are enticing young prospects. For the Trail Blazers, this deal would be all about putting a championship-caliber roster around Damian Lillard.
Both Siakam and OG Anunoby would fit seamlessly alongside Lillard, meaning all Portland would have to do is plan out the rest of the roster. Namely, they would have to find a center.
Regardless of that, the defense of Siakam and Anunoby should be enough to raise the ceiling of Portland’s defensive unit, which has been terrible for years.
Potential starting lineups:
Raptors: Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson/Brandon Miller, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl (if re-signed)
Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, OG Anunoby, Jerami Grant (if re-signed), Pascal Siakam, (insert center here)
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
5 Pascal Siakam trades the Toronto Raptors need to consider: New York Knicks
What a homecoming this would be. RJ Barrett is one of the most famous current basketball players from Canada, and he’s actually from Toronto, too.
Seeing him suit up for the Raptors would make headlines for weeks, and the fans would undoubtedly love it. Plus, past the obvious storylines, Barrett has a lot of potential. He’s had a relatively up-and-down career with the Knicks, but sometimes a young player needs to move to a new situation in order to get the most out of his career.
A similar statement can be said about Toppin, who showed off a bit more potential this year. In Toronto, he could earn more opportunities and would have a chance to really break out into a star. Toronto would also snag four firsts in the deal, as the Knicks have a plethora of picks at their disposal they’ve likely been hanging onto in hopes of landing a star.
For New York, the fit with Pascal Siakam and Julius Randle wouldn’t be perfect, but a star is a star. Plus, the Knicks could always explore the idea of trading Randle.
Regardless, Tom Thibodeau would find a way to make it work. Siakam’s defensive versatility would make it easy to plug him into most lineups, and with how close the Knicks got to the Eastern Conference finals this year, they’ll undoubtedly be looking to improve.
(New York would probably be better off trading Randle for some extra shooting, as the starting lineup with him and Siakam could lack spacing.)
Potential starting lineups:
Raptors: Fred VanVleet (if re-signed), RJ Barrett, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl (if re-signed)
Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, Julius Randle, Pascal Siakam, Mitchell Robinson
5 Pascal Siakam trades the Toronto Raptors need to consider: Golden State Warriors
Jordan Poole’s trade value tanked throughout the postseason. His inconsistency contributed to the Golden State Warriors’ second-round exit.
However, just because he had a rough stretch doesn’t mean he doesn’t have star potential. Throughout the course of his career, Poole has shown that he’s fully capable of being a star.
When starting for the Warriors, Poole’s numbers skyrocketed, especially when Steph Curry was out. It’s not crazy to think that, given his own team to run, he could blossom. (This is assuming the Raptors part ways with Fred VanVleet.)
As for Kuminga, the Raptors have shown a ton of interest in him in the past, so it’s easy to think they would jump at the chance to land him in a trade.
For the Warriors, this trade would be all about putting a championship-caliber team around Curry. They’ve shown the ability to get there with Poole in tow, but this deal would give them a better chance.
After the way they went out in the playoffs this year, there’s a good chance they explore trades involving Poole this summer. Landing a two-time All-Star like Pascal Siakam could give them a huge boost. Plus, if Draymond Green decides to leave in free agency, Siakam would be an elite replacement. And even if Green stays, the lineups would still look solid.
Potential starting lineups:
Raptors: Jordan Poole, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Jonathan Kuminga, Jakob Poeltl (if re-signed)
Warriors: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Pascal Siakam, Draymond Green (or Kevon Looney)
5 Pascal Siakam trades the Toronto Raptors need to consider: Charlotte Hornets
This might be the most unrealistic trade of the bunch, as the Charlotte Hornets are in a great position to keep their assets and embark on a nice rebuild. However, maybe Michael Jordan is sick of being in the lottery.
For the Raptors, this trade would be a bit odd. They would give up their 13th pick and Siakam in order to move up and have their choice of Henderson or Miller at two.
Toronto would have to take on Gordon Hayward’s salary in the deal, but they would also get James Bouknight and Kai Jones, two fairly raw prospects who would be projects for the Raptors.
The added two first-rounders and one second would be gravy for the Raptors, who would start things over with Scottie Barnes and an elite blue-chip rookie.
Meanwhile, the Hornets would attempt to speed up their window in this trade. Pairing LaMelo Ball with Siakam would create a new star duo in Charlotte. One that would hopefully help them break their seven-year playoff drought.
Getting the 13th pick back in this deal would help the Hornets bring in extra young talent, but the main point of this deal would be to push for the playoffs. They still have to decide whether or not to bring Miles Bridges back, but regardless of that, Charlotte’s roster should still be able to be competitive.
Potential starting lineup:
Raptors: Fred VanVleet (if re-signed), Scoot Henderson/Brandon Miller, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl (if re-signed)
Hornets: LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges (if signed), Pascal Siakam, Mark Williams