Amid the veritable sea of Pascal Siakam trade rumors that have permeated the Toronto Raptors' fandom in the last few months, one of the few rumblings that remains consistently strong is the idea of the Atlanta Hawks selling some of their more prized young assets to acquire the former All-NBA forward.
From financial, competitive, and logical points of view, trading fifth-year forward and former No. 4 overall pick De'Andre Hunter seems like the best way forward. Any hypothetical proposal between the Raptors and Hawks has Hunter being sent north of the border as the headliner.
With Siakam in the final year of his contract and his camp sounding hesitant to sign an extension with any team that is not the Raptors, Toronto will find it hard to get a perennial All-Star (or potential one) in return for him. With Keegan Murray off the board, Hunter might be the best possible player Toronto can target.
While Hunter would be a solid player that Toronto can use to jump-start their next era of basketball, acquiring him has some serious concerns that Masai Ujiri would be short-sighted to ignore. Is getting Hunter still the best way forward for this Raptors team?
Pros and Cons of Raptors acquiring De'Andre Hunter in Pascal Siakam trade.
Pros
Ujiri won't consider adding a potential starter unless they can hold their own on the defensive side of the floor, and Hunter would fit in well on a struggling Toronto defense. While he's not elite, he can defend multiple spots and use his sculpted frame to give wings a very tough time.
Hunter provides proven shooting that should help the Raptors become much more effective from deep. Hunter is a career 36% shooter from 3-point range, but he's taken a big step in the right direction this season, pumping his average up to just under 41% with solid volume.
De'Andre Hunter could be a solid offensive boost for the Toronto Raptors.
Hunter signed a four-year, $90 million contract with the Hawks that is looking quite affordable at this moment in time. Given his age and production, Hunter could hit nine figures on the open market today. That gives them more financial flexibility than handing Siakam an eye-watering contract.
No matter what the Raptors end up doing with Siakam, they need to figure out a way to get the most out of Scottie Barnes. As Hunter has shown alongside two ball-dominant Hawks stars in Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, he can be an effective offensive player without a giant diet of shots and touches.
Cons
Hunter has never averaged more than 15.4 points per game in a season in his career, and he is not going to be a tremendous creator for himself or others. His offensive upside, especially on a team that is lacking in offensive skill at the moment, isn't ideal for this flawed roster.
Raptors fans have screamed until they are blue in the fact about the team's overeliance on 6-8 versatile power forwards at the expense of quality guard play. Swapping out a star 6-8 forward for an inferior version with less offensive potential might not be a home run move.
De'Andre Hunter might not fit the Toronto Raptors.
Hunter's health is a legitimate concern at this point in his career, as some serious injuries have prevented him from becoming the type of player Atlanta may have hoped. Hunter has never played more than 67 games in a season, has missed at least 25 games twice in four years, and will soon undergo a procedure on his knee.
Hunter is currently operating as arguably the third-best player on the Hawks right now, and Atlanta finds themselves in a precarious situation in the standings. If the Hawks haven't recaptured their Eastern Conference Finals pixie dust with Hunter, why could he evolve into that third star in Toronto?
Verdict
The Raptors need to explore other options before circling back to the Hawks, as there could be a player better than Hunter that ends up in the rumor mill. However, if they are unable to find their desires sated, Hunter seems like a name that Atlanta is almost begging to get rid of.
Hunter's ceiling is not what Siakam's average days are anymore, and that could make it tough to see a fanbase on him outside of the injury concerns. This will put even more pressure on Barnes to evolve into a superstar in short order, with Hunter sliding in as a role player.
De'Andre Hunter is a risky addition for the Toronto Raptors.
Trading Siakam is a very difficult endeavor, as the Raptors need to squeeze multiple draft picks and some solid young talent out of whomever is acquiring him. Hunter has some faults, but it's hard to find someone who can be this effective on both ends instantly.
Rather than take a gamble on a younger, more unproven player, the Raptors can acquire a veteran two-way forward with a proven history of being a solid two-way threat. If Hunter can stay healthy, the Raptors can feel a bit more comfortable giving up a player with Siakam's pedigree.