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As the NBA trade deadline approaches on February 9th, rumors are flying around the league about the future of Toronto Raptors’ All-Star forward Pascal Siakam. The key topics surrounding the Siakam situation are:
- The Raptors are expected to move or extend Siakam before the trade deadline, with the front office potentially looking to accelerate a rebuild [1].
- The Sacramento Kings have emerged as the lead suitor for Siakam and have held “serious talks” with Toronto [2].
- Siakam reportedly “unlikely” to sign long-term extension if traded from Toronto, complicating matters [3]. He will be a free agent in 2025.
- Other reported teams with interest in Siakam include the Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, and Atlanta Hawks [4].
Kings become lead suitor for Pascal Siakam
The Sacramento Kings have accelerated their push to land Toronto All-Star Pascal Siakam and have emerged as the front-runner ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. [2]
NBA Insider Shams Charania shocked the basketball world Friday morning with a tweet indicating the Kings and Raptors have held “serious talks” on a deal centered around Siakam. Sacramento is now considered the “lead suitor” for the 29-year old forward. [2]
The Kings’ interest comes amidst their best season in over 15 years, as Sacramento currently sits 3rd in the Western Conference with a 26-13 record. Acquiring another All-Star caliber player like Siakam would clearly signal the Kings’ desire to be an immediate playoff threat.
According to sources, the Kings have even expressed a willingness to include promising young guard De’Aaron Fox in trade talks with Toronto in order to land Siakam. [5]
| Raptors Reported Trade Packages |
|---|
| Kings – De’Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes, draft picks |
| Warriors – James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga |
| Pacers – Buddy Hield, Myles Turner, draft picks |
The Raptors likely coveting Fox, who is averaging 24.3 points and 6.1 assists per game this season, could explain Sacramento’s leading position in talks. Most teams cannot offer a player with Fox’s upside.
However, the Kings pulling their two best players in Domantas Sabonis and Kevin Huerter from Friday’s game due to “trade pending personal reasons” calls into question whether Sacramento is close to finalizing any deal. [6]
Siakam reportedly “unlikely” to re-sign extension if traded
Complicating matters is a report from Bleacher Report that Siakam is “unlikely” to sign an extension with any team that trades for him, instead preferring to play out 2023-2024 before entering unrestricted free agency in 2025. [3]
The lack of long-term security around Siakam could impact what teams like Golden State and Sacramento would be willing to offer in a deal. The asking price for a potential Raptors’ rental would decrease.
Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said of the trade rumors: “I’m assuming nothing…My job is to take the guys that we get, or we end up with, and coach the heck out of them.”
For Toronto, the goal seems to be cashing out now while Siakam’s value remains high. He is averaging career-highs 24.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game this season.
The Raptors already made one blockbuster trade earlier this week, sending forward O.G. Anunoby to the New York Knicks. It appears Siakam could now be the next longtime Raptor to be shipped out as Toronto embraces a rebuild.
Multiple teams interested in Siakam trade
In addition to the Kings and Warriors, several other teams have been linked to Siakam in recent trade speculation:
Indiana Pacers – The Pacers are expected to be aggressive at the deadline and have long been linked to Siakam. They can offer players like Buddy Hield and Myles Turner, although may not have a package enticing enough without draft pick inclusion. [4]
Dallas Mavericks – The Mavs are looking to add a 3rd star next to Luka Doncic and have the contracts and picks to make a competitive offer for Siakam. However, taking back long-term money would complicate Dallas’ 2025 cap space plans. [4]
Detroit Pistons – The Pistons have plenty of young assets like Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, and 2025/2027 1st round picks that could pique Toronto’s interest in a Siakam deal. Rookie Jalen Williams’ emergence also makes Detroit’s backcourt crowded for minutes. [4]
Atlanta Hawks – In the wake of disappointing early season play, the Hawks have let it be known that players outside of Trae Young are available via trade. This includes new addition Dejounte Murray. Atlanta has the intriguing mix of win-now talent and draft capital that makes them a darkhorse for Siakam. [7]
What’s next?
The Raptors clearly feel urgency to cash out on Siakam’s peak value either now via trade, or through a lucrative contract extension this summer.
It remains to be seen whether the Kings or Warriors would be willing to part with key foundational pieces without knowing Siakam’s long-term plans first. Expect talks to accelerate rapidly over the next month ahead of the February 9th deadline.
If Siakam stays in Toronto past the deadline, pressure will heighten on Raptors management to secure his Bird rights with a 5-year designated veteran extension. Otherwise, Siakam could leave in 2025 free agency and Toronto may have missed their window to maximize his asset value.
The dominoes appear set to fall soon one way or another, marking the potential end of an era for Raptors basketball as the Pascal Siakam sweepstakes heat up.
Sources
- https://www.tsn.ca/nba/sources-raptors-expected-to-move-or-extend-siakam-ahead-of-trade-deadline-1.2058826
- https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1743418740224504191
- https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10103235-report-raptors-pascal-siakam-unlikely-to-sign-contract-if-traded-mavs-more-linked
- https://hoopshype.com/2024/01/05/hawks-pacers-kings-pistons-interested-in-pascal-siakam-trade/
- https://aroyalpain.com/posts/grade-trade-sacramento-kings-land-raptors-forward-blockbuster-proposal
- https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-trade-rumors-kings-pull-out-of-pascal-siakam-talks-hawks-making-dejounte-murray-available/
- https://www.albanyherald.com/arena/hawks/report-raptors-expected-to-move-pascal-siakam-before-trade-deadline-will-hawks-make-a-move/article_af5737da-99eb-5aea-ac80-0e12d648fe47.html
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