2 Pascal Siakam trade partners that make sense, 2 that don't
By Mike Luciano
Doesn't Make Sense: Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are rolling, as Nick Nurse appears to have been a perfect fit for the MVP and MIP frontrunners in Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, respectively. Philly will likely try to improve at the deadline, but the Raptors need to hold firm and withstand any overtures that Daryl Morey might try to make in their direction.
While Nurse knows how to get the most out of Siakam, relegating him to the third option behind Embiid and Maxey doesn’t seem like the soundest strategy in the world. The James Harden trade has also left Philly largely bereft of assets Toronto would actually desire in a trade.
The Philadelphia 76ers are a weird trade partner for Pascal Siakam.
Tobias Harris is the only asset that can be competitively interesting and financially flexible, and he still might not be a player Toronto has their eye on. Marcus Morris, Nic Batum, and Robert Covington are the only other players making over $10 million, and a Raptors team trying to get younger likely won't be interested.
Philadelphia is better off making a smaller move at the deadline, as they shouldn't want to upset the truly special connection Embiid and Maxey have this season. Even if they wanted Siakam, they need more than a handful of chewed gum and scratch-off lottery tickets to actually entice Toronto.