The Toronto Raptors are completely reliant on the services of star forward Pascal Siakam, as they have no chance of being a team who can compete for a postseason spot without him in the fold. If the Raptors want to rebuild, however, a trade could be the only path forward.
The Raptors are stuck in a very difficult position when it comes to trading Siakam, as he only has one season left on his contract and has leaked out some rumors claiming he would be unwilling to sign a contract extension elsewhere if traded. Toronto may find it tough to get value for him.
Due to Siakam’s absence at Summer League, rumors started popping up everywhere, and a trade seemed imminent. Instead, the latest rumblings from NBA insider Marc Stein make it seem like fans should not expect a Siakam deal to go down any time soon.
According to Stein, developments in the surrounding Siakam and Damian Lillard have been “incremental” since the end of Summer League. Considering the lack of teams who could give Toronto a package befitting of Siakam’s talent, it is no wonder that talks have slowed down to a crawl.
My latest around-the-league notes lead off with the Lovefest No More in Philly and cover all the latest NBA trade scuttle: https://t.co/M3fEWIBMBt
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 24, 2023
NBA rumors: Trade talks around Raptors’ Pascal Siakam are slow.
Toronto is not going to get adequate value back for Siakam if they trade him now, as he has only one year left on his contract. The Hawks were interested in flipping a player like John Collins for Siakam, but that idea has since passed them by after his subsequent move to Utah.
If the Raptors are targeting players that were recently picked in the 2023 NBA Draft, like Atlanta’s Kobe Bufkin, the Siakam deal can’t be finalized until those picks become eligible to be traded. As a result, Siakam talks are likely at a standstill until more names become available.
Giving Siakam an extension would not only ensure that the Raptors can end all these trade rumors and compete for a postseason spot regularly in the next few years, but it would inherently make him a more valuable asset if this whole plan goes belly-up and he seeks a move elsewhere.
Pascal Siakam is one of the better finishers in the league. While not elite in any of these metrics the combination of skills offers something greater than the sum of its parts. pic.twitter.com/yCnC6PJIvB
— BBall Index (@The_BBall_Index) July 24, 2023
Players who could be supermax eligible are very rarely put on the trade market, and that is exactly the type of player that Toronto has on its hands. Toronto could kick-start a rebuild with this trade just as easily as they could knee-cap one by being unable to turn him into multiple picks and players.