NBA rumors: Kings tried to offer paltry package to Raptors for Pascal Siakam

The Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings appear to have hit an impasse in the case of Pascal Siakam. The Raptors want a haul of assets that can give them a chance to be a perennial playoff team, while Monte McNair and Sacramento don't want to sell the farm for an impending free agent.

Former No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray appears to be one of the main sticking points in trade negotiations. With Toronto clearly putting its foot down and saying that Murray would need to come to Canada for any hope of a deal to get done, Sacramento appears to have left the bargaining table.

While including a player like Harrison Barnes in a trade could be a nice acquisition that also makes the money work, the Raptors will likely ask for much more if they want a deal to be finalized between them and the Kings. McNair, however, kept trying to fleece Toronto without including Murray.

Shams Charania reported that the Kings did not want the framework of their deal with the Raptors to change, which led to talks between the teams breaking down. According to Charania, Barnes was at the front of Sacramento's package, which is way too paltry of a return for a player like Siakam.

NBA rumors: Toronto Raptors want more than Harrison Barnes in Pascal Siakam trade.

Before the OG Anunoby trade went down, adding Barnes, who is averaging 11.4 points per game and shooting 41% from 3-point range in his age-31 season, could have been appealing. As it stands right now, his value is nowhere near "headliner in a Siakam deal" levels.

As good as Barnes may be at this point in his career, he could be a more awkward fit now that RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are in town. Scottie would forced into a more traditional power forward role to replace Siakam, which nullifies the talents that make him so exceptional.

Considering that Toronto was able to eventually get both RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley from the Knicks, they shouldn't be viewed as miserly or stubborn if they insist on a player like Murray in exchange for Siakam. Even though Anunoby is likely to sign with the Knicks in the long-term sign, it is not a guarantee.

The Raptors may still end up pursuing Siakam, but Ujiri has been very open about his willingness to set a price for any of his best assets and wait until his demands are met. Siakam is an amazing talent, and Barnes by himself won't cut it.