The Toronto Raptors appear to be moving closer to some sort of big trade as the losses start to pile up. Pascal Siakam has been coming up the most as rumors start to swirl, as he is both an impending free agent and the most logical move if the Raptors want to get adequate value that can be used to build a team.
The biggest three teams who remain connected to a Pascal move are the Atlanta Hawks (who just beat Siakam on Friday), Indiana Pacers, and Sacramento Kings. Of those three, Sacramento received some extra steam after some rumors relating to Toronto's pursuit of Keegan Murray.
Masai Ujiri would be very proactive in targeting Sacramento as a potential Siakam spot, as they want to make another big move that can take their offense to the next level. If they want Siakam, however, Monte McNair will have to give up some very important pieces to entice the Raptors.
The Raptors need to insist on acquiring these three Kings players in Siakam talks. While they might not be able to pull off the hat trick and land all of them, Toronto needs to ensure they can build a proper NBA rotation with the return they get from any Pascal move.
3 Kings players the Toronto Raptors must acquire in Pascal Siakam trade talks.
3. PG Davion Mitchell
Mitchell seems like a player Toronto would have loved if they didn't have the basketball deities smile upon them as they moved up to take Scottie Barnes. His strength is pesky on-ball defense, which was his main ticket to a lottery selection despite being an undersized upperclassman at the point guard spot.
Mitchell has fallen out of the rotation in Sacramento, likely because he never became the offensive weapon the Kings expected him to be. However, due to the fact his development was stunted behind De'Aaron Fox, there's hope that a change of scenery could help fix him.
The Toronto Raptors need to trade for Davion Mitchell.
Dennis Schroder has been solid, but any team with him as their best guard is simply asking for disaster. Malachi Flynn is better than he was under Nick Nurse, but he's not good enough to have warranted unbridled confidence in his ability to be the backup point guard.
Mitchell is still a solid defender, but he needs someone to believe in his offensive ability and work with him. Ujiri has a habit of rolling the dice on former top picks, and Mitchell will likely not be the type of player Sacramento becomes oddly defensive of should he be brought up in negotiations.
2. SG Kevin Huerter
In order to make the trade work from a financial point of view, it seems likely that one of either Huerter or Harrison Barnes would need to be sent to Toronto. If Ujiri could have his pick of players, Huerter would be the much better choice for this severely flawed roster.
While Huerter is averaging just 11.2 points per game this season, a decline from the 15.2 points per game he amassed last season, he's still a knockdown 3-point shooter with athleticism to boot. A career 38% 3-point sniper with solid volume, Huerter is just what the basketball doctor ordered.
The Toronto Raptors must consider trading for Kevin Huerter.
Huerter and Malik Monk have emerged as terrific tertiary gunners for this Kings team, but their value would be sliced in half when Siakam comes to town and starts demanding the ball more. One of them needs to go, and Huerter would be better for salary-matching purposes.
The Raptors likely hoped that Gradey Dick would be able to give this team the offensive boost they needed, but he is nowhere near as far along in his development as they expected. Huerter would be a better short-term upgrade while also being under contract for the next few years.
1. SF Keegan Murray
The Raptors are reportedly making Murray the focal point of their pursuits in a hypothetical Siakam deal, and it is quite easy to see why. Even though his 3-point percentage has fallen sharply this season, Murray is a well-regarded shooter who would be a huge help to a team that lacks spacing.
Murray is averaging 13.8 points and 5.7 points per game despite playing a supporting role on a team that lets Fox and Domantas Sabonis dominate the ball fairly often. Murray might get more opportunities in Toronto, and he could emerge as a viable third star alongside OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes.
The Toronto Raptors need to trade for Keegan Murray.
Murray's time at Iowa showed that he could be a willing and able scorer with a much higher ceiling as a rebounder than his numbers would indicate. While not the most amazing defender, he certainly has potential thanks to his tremendous versatility on both ends.
The Kings would be eschewing any sort of patience if they trade Murray, which some might not believe is wise in a Western Conference that has some big names to slay. However, if they do take that plunge, sending Murray to Toronto might be the best way to get both sides solid value.