3 reasons for hope in 2023 after Raptors botch Damian Lillard trade

1.  Prime Pascal Siakam

Raptors fans know how special Siakam can be, which makes Toronto’s odd back-and-forth over the idea of signing him to a contract extension even more puzzling. If the contract talk can be put on the back burner, fans can see the fact that Siakam has everything he needs to have a truly special season.

Siakam is fresh off an All-NBA nod two years ago and an All-Star Game appearance last year. This came with minimal spacing, a ridiculous physical burden put on him by Nick Nurse, and tons of defensive attention placed on him. 2023-24 promises to be much different.

Pascal Siakam is integral to the Toronto Raptors.

While Rajakovic’s desire to allegedly lean on Barnes more and prioritize passing the ball over Siakam making something out of nothing in isolation might take a chunk out of his raw points totals, the impact he could have on this team could be as massive as it has been in any point in his pro career.

Siakam has put up ridiculous numbers in what can charitably be called some adverse situations during the last few years. If he comes out firing and meshes well with what Rajakovic wants to do, that alone could be enough to turn the Raptors into an offensive juggernaut worth respecting.

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