NBA mock draft: Raptors move up with crazy Pascal Siakam trade

The Toronto Raptors have been one of the hottest names in the NBA trade market, as teams are coveting names like Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Those in the NBA mock draft markets often factor in big deals involving Toronto flipping one of those names for a top-five pick.

The Portland Trail Blazers, owners of the No. 3 pick, have been linked to both of those names quite regularly. However, the Houston Rockets appear to be done with the tanking days of Stephen Silas, which could prompt a trade that vaults Toronto up into the top four as they seek a game-changer.

In a surprise from Bleacher Report, their latest mock draft had the Trail Blazers drafting Amen Thompson over expected No. 2 or No. 3 selection Scoot Henderson. Seeing Portland make such a shocking move, Toronto pounced with a seismic move.

In this mock trade, Toronto would acquire Henderson, Kevin Porter Jr, and Kenyon Martin Jr. A 2025 pick, protected in the top four, would also be conveyed to Toronto in exchange for Siakam. While it would sting to break up the Siakam/Fred VanVleet core, this is one heck of a way to reboot things.

NBA Mock Draft: Raptors trade Pascal Siakam for Scoot Henderson.

Porter is a promising young scorer that could make for an ideal backup point guard or oversized two-guard. His behavior in Houston was extremely erratic and concerning, so the Raptors need to make sure they have an ironclad plan in place to make sure he stays on track.

Henderson is a premium athlete at the point guard position that can rip the rim off the basket as a dunker, blow by even the fastest defender, make plays on defense with regularity, and nail open jumpers when asked. He is everything this team needs from their backcourt.

At No. 13 overall in this mock, Toronto would take Baylor guard Keyonte George. If both Henderson and George end up hitting anywhere close to their ceilings in the duration of their rookie contracts, the Raptors’ backcourt situation could be fixed for the next few seasons almost overnight.

With Houston’s desire to trade away some of their draft picks as they try to acquire a star player and win right now, they could go after a player like Siakam due to their treasure trove of valuable draft picks. This will be a tough departure, but it could help the Raptors rebuild on the fly.