The Toronto Raptors are not going to put the Pascal Siakam rumors to bed anytime soon. While some parts of Raptors fandom want to see Siakam shipped away for picks and players, another contingent has full belief in his abilities to lead this team as their marquee scorer.
What Masai Ujiri wants to do is unknown at this point, though all signs likely point to No. 43 being a member of the Raptors when the season starts. That won’t stop teams across the NBA from trying to acquire a legitimate All-NBA force that can star on both ends of the floor.
While the Hawks made a very real charge for Siakam’s services in the last few weeks, nothing has materialized. Another Eastern Conference foe, this time in the Central division, might be willing to take Toronto up on their offer of a Siakam swap.
Michael Grange of Sportsnet reported that the Indiana Pacers inquired with Toronto and gauged Siakam’s availability. After signing Bruce Brown away from the champion Nuggets and extending Tyrese Haliburton, it seems like the Pacers are willing to step on the accelerator and make an attempt to get back to the postseason.
The idea was for the NBA's Summer League to be a launching point for a new Raptors' energy. But after an 0-2 start and the way the separation between Pascal Siakam and the club seems to be widening, that idea is off to a slow start, writes @michaelgrange. https://t.co/7VUnULywbR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 10, 2023
NBA Rumors: Pacers asked Toronto Raptors about Pascal Siakam trade.
Standout rookie performer and native Canadian Bennedict Mathurin should be Toronto’s top target in a trade. If he is unavailable, Toronto may not have the best collection of assets to choose from. Perennial trade rumor name Myles Turner seems like a solid fit, but the signing of Jakob Poeltl makes him redundant.
In addition to multiple first-round picks, Toronto will likely try to ensure that Buddy Hield comes up to Canada. On an expiring contract, Hield is a tremendous shooter and proven scorer in this league. TJ McConnell, Jalen Smith, and Isaiah Jackson are tradeable chips who could be thrown into this deal.
Grange mentioned that Atlanta is still on the periphery of the Siakam trade sweepstakes despite the fact that Dejounte Murray’s extension means he can’t be swapped in a trade. However, given Siakam’s reported desire to remain in Toronto, teams will have some ambivalence around him.
The Raptors should take the best deal available for Siakam if they are hell-bent on getting the most they can for him in any sort of trade, and the Pacers are in a spot where they are so desperate that they could be willing to fork over multiple prized assets to acquire him.