The Toronto Raptors have been bombarded with a ceaseless deluge of trade rumors in the offseason, with players like Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby ranking among those who have been thrown into the rumor mill as many Raptors fans try to kickstart a hypothetical rebuild.
While trading Siakam would be the surest sign that this team is headed for a rebuild, he would also recoup the most in any sort of trade. From purely a value-based standpoint, moving Siakam would give the Raptors such an impressive haul that they could head into the next half-decade with confidence.
If Siakam is well and truly available, teams all across the league would be moronic not to pursue him in a trade. As it stands right now, one foe in the Eastern Conference seems prepared to throw caution to the wind and make a trade that sets them up for success in the short term.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the Atlanta Hawks, who seem to be on the verge of switching the roster up once again following their trade for Dejounte Murray last offseason, have a degree of interest in trading for Siakam. Will an aggressive front office get a deal done?
Latest notebook @YahooSports features what San Antonio is considering after selecting Victor Wembanyama No. 1, the latest on Chris Paul and Phoenix, plus details on Boston, Atlanta, Toronto and more: https://t.co/M11ohaafY0
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 16, 2023
NBA rumors: Hawks interested in Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam
Flipping Murray to Toronto might seem unlikely, but the Raptors should still head into negotiations with the intent of trying to acquire him as the main part of the return package. Acquiring Murray would also mean the end of the Fred VanVleet era north of the border.
While John Collins is certain to be discussed, the Raptors might need to aim higher. In terms of role players the Hawks have on their roster, young big man Onyeka Okongwu, versatile wing DeAndre Hunter, and former first-rounder AJ Griffin all make sense as potential trade chips.
Atlanta, with Siakam in the fold, would be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, as their primary offensive output would have more layers to it than simply hoping Young goes off for 40 points a night. The desperate nature of Atlanta’s roster means they could overpay slightly.
The Hawks are one of many teams that would love to add an All-NBA scorer, playmaker, and leader to their fold. However, as they will soon come to find out, Masai Ujiri and the rest of the Raptors’ front office are not going to give him away for a weak offer.