Pascal Siakam is not a name many expected to see pop up in trade rumors. The Toronto Raptors, however, are struggling and perhaps it’s time for a changeup and to build primarily around Fred VanVleet. In addition, The Athletic‘s Shams Charania reported that the Raptors are fining Siakam for a heated exchange with Head Coach Nick Nurse. Lori Ewing of the Canadian Express claimed that the report is inaccurate, although it seems to be a work in progress. A player of Siakam’s quality will certainly garner plenty of interest, although his contract is quite hefty.
Pascal Siakam: Three Potential Trade Packages
Denver Goes All In with Pascal Siakam
The trade: The Raptors send Siakam, Terence Davis, and Stanley Johnson to the Denver Nuggets for Michael Porter, Gary Harris, JaMychal Green, and a future first-round pick.
It’s a big one.
The Nuggets are legitimate contenders with MVP-candidate Nikola Jokic and budding star Jamal Murray. Adding a reinvigorated Siakam would make them a major threat in the West. He’ll pair well with Jokic, especially given the fact that both of them are strong passers. Jokic can spread the floor, likely giving Siakam more room to work with in the paint. Davis is a solid add too and can help ease the burden of Harris’s departure. Lastly, Johnson is another frontcourt body to have with the departure of Green.
Toronto does this to get Porter. He’ll be a free agent this offseason in line for a payday, and the Raptors will have the space to sign him with Siakam not around plus Kyle Lowry‘s impending free agency. If Porter maximizes his potential, he’ll form a fantastic duo with VanVleet. Harris is one of the better “three-and-d” specialists in the league, and Nurse loves these kinds of players. Harris will certainly flourish in Toronto. Lastly, Green is quietly one of the better back-up big men in the league. Porter and Green can fill in for Siakam nicely. The added first-round pick is always a bonus.
Sacramento Fights for Relevancy
The trade: The Raptors send Siakam and Patrick McCaw to the Sacramento Kings for Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley.
Sacramento is longing for relevancy in the loaded Western Conference. Their young core of guards in De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are great, but they need more help. Siakam offers this. The Kings struggle in the frontcourt, so naturally, Siakam can help solve these issues. He won’t guide Sacramento to the playoffs this season, but they’ll walk into the offseason with a great young trio to build on. McCaw is decent but mostly included to make salaries match.
Toronto gets one of the league’s top sharpshooters in Hield. Whether Lowry is traded or not, it’s likely he’ll be gone by this summer. Walking into next season with a backcourt of VanVleet, Hield, and Norman Powell will be great for Toronto. Bagley might be a sneaky good pick-up. It’s been less than three years since he was drafted second overall before the likes of Luka Doncic and Trae Young. He hasn’t proved himself in Sacramento, and injuries have played a large part in this, but a change of scenery may be what he needs. Bagley will essentially be the de-facto starter at power forward replacing Siakam.
Chicago Brings in Pascal Siakam for More Help
The trade: The Raptors send Siakam and Aron Baynes to the Chicago Bulls for Otto Porter, Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter, and the team’s 2023 first-round pick.
Zach LaVine has been longing for help in Chicago and Siakam brings it. The two will form one of the better duos in the league offensively, while Siakam brings plenty to the table on defense. A core of LaVine, Siakam, Coby White, and Patrick Williams is great to have. They’ll form out the starting line-up, as well as Baynes at center, although he’s aging. With this trade, however, the Bulls are likely a decent center away from constant playoff contention in the East.
Toronto does this to stack up talented young players. Markkanen is a great scoring option at power forward. He struggles with health, but it’s a gamble worth taking. Markkanen is a free agent this offseason, but much like the aforementioned situation with Porter, the Raptors will have the space to extend him. Carter has recently been relegated to the bench in Chicago, indicating a potential trade. The young center would compete with Chris Boucher in Toronto for the center position, but either way that gives the Raptors very strong depth. Porter has regressed due to injuries, but can still be a very effective player. Whether Toronto chooses to keep him is up to them, as his $28 million contract expires this offseason.
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