The Toronto Raptors have already bit the bullet with OG Anunoby, netting a fairly nice return of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for a player with an expiring contract. After that deal was consummated, all eyes turned squarely toward former All-NBA power forward Pascal Siakam.
The Raptors can pick one of two very different paths with Siakam. They can either hand him that extension he has been looking for and commit to him as a piece of their future, or they can look to send him on his way and pick up more pieces that can be used in the rebuild around Scottie Barnes.
Teams across the league will be banging down the doors to acquire Siakam, who may not cost an arm and a leg due to his impending free agency. However, some spots just don't make sense for both Siakam as a player at this stage of his career and a Raptors team trying to turn the page.
The Raptors need to survey the entire landscape before they commit to a Siakam destination, as they need to find an ideal landing spot that both allows Siakam to contend and gets them back a boatload of goodies to begin the rebuild. Two possible Siakam spots fit that bill, while some make no sense at all.
2 Pascal Siakam trade destinations that make sense, 2 that don't
Makes Sense: Indiana Pacers
The Pacers and Atlanta Hawks have been linked to Siakam for years now, though Atlanta's recent poor run of form might knock them out of the win-now category. Indiana, however, still needs one more offensive difference-maker next to the terrific Tyrese Haliburton.
Indiana’s breakneck offense could be ideal for Siakam, as his ability to hunt for mismatches and go to work on the interior would be accentuated like never before. If Toronto wants young assets above all else, the Packers are unique in that multiple controllable rotation players could be sacrificed.
The Indiana Pacers could trade for Pascal Siakam.
Dealing with Indiana means that one of either Bennedict Mathurin or 2023 No. 8 pick Jarace Walker could be on the move to Toronto. The Pacers have some young pieces, meaning now is the time to cash in those future picks to build a team that makes Haliburton even more effective.
Siakam going from whatever he has experienced during the last two seasons in Toronto to the mind-bending offensive attack put on display by Indiana could be such a drastic change that it throws him back into the All-NBA tier. Imagine him at the power forward spot instead of Obi Toppin.
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.
Makes Sense: Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are in a weird position. They have three or four players that could conceivably be tremendous third scorers on contending teams, but no alpha who can take command of that locker room. Siakam would instantly become the top scorer Brooklyn has to offer.
Mikal Bridges isn't going anywhere, and Nic Claxton is becoming one of the best big men in the game. Outside of that, Brooklyn likely isn't going to be loyal to many of their players, be they veterans or potential young gambles like first-round picks Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead.
The Brooklyn Nets could try to trade for Pascal Siakam.
If the Raptors aren’t interested in absorbing Ben Simmons’ contract (and why would they be), they can still try to pilfer names like Cam Johnson, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Dorian Finney-Smith. With the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades netting some solid returns, Brooklyn has multiple top picks to play with.
It might seem counterintuitive to improve another division rival in the Nets after moving OG Anunoby to the Knicks, but Brooklyn is in the best position for a potential Siakam buyer. They clearly need a player of his caliber, and their hypothetical package could set Toronto up nicely without destabilizing themselves.
Doesn't Make Sense: Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks were a very surprising name to see tied to Siakam after the Anunoby dust settled. Between their relatively barren cupboard of assets and the fact they already made their all-in trade last year, Dallas might not be able to give Toronto the assets they desire in a Raptors trade.
The Mavericks could in theory put a package together based around Tim Hardaway Jr. and the perpetually injured Josh Green, but the Raptors might be able to find an offer that beats that if they look hard enough. What could hurt Dallas' chances in their Siakam chase is the relative lack of prime draft picks they can trade.
The Dallas Mavericks might not get Pascal Siakam.
Siakam would be an odd fit around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, both of whom need the ball in their hands constantly to be effective. Siakam can defend, but he won't be the missing piece that suddenly makes their collective defense a group that everyone will start to fear.
The Mavericks appear to have made their defense-sparse bed with Irving and Doncic, and there doesn't seem to be much of a path forward to acquiring Siakam. A third team could get things cooking, but that would only make a trade even more complicated.