The Raptors have traded O.G. Anunoby. Is Pascal Siakam next?
Siakam has been involved in trade rumors for a while now, but the pressure is starting to mount for Toronto. Now that the calendar has flipped to 2024, teams are a month and some change away from this season’s trade deadline.
That doesn’t mean the Raptors have to trade Siakam, of course, but he is in the final year of his contract. If they don’t move him before the deadline, they’ll enter another offseason facing the possibility of one of their best players walking in free agency.
We’ve looked at some Siakam trade destinations in the past. While some of the same teams are expected to pursue the two-time All-Star should he become available, there are a couple more that make sense for him.
MORE: O.G. Anunoby trade grades: Raptors get depth; Knicks get big talent upgrade
Pascal Siakam trade destinations
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have been one of the biggest surprises so far this season. They’ve come down to earth a bit since making it to the final of the In-Season Tournament, but they remain in the Eastern Conference playoff race with the best offense in the league.
It might not sound like Indiana needs help offensively, but Siakam would take some pressure off of Tyrese Haliburton to create everything. The two would complement each other well in transition and as pick-and-roll partners, and the Pacers have the shooting to open up the court for Siakam in ways the Raptors can’t.
MORE: The shot that has Tyrese Haliburton looking like a superstar
Siakam wouldn’t turn the Pacers into an elite defense all by himself, but he would add to their size and versatility on that end of the court. More variety on offense and competent defense could be what the Pacers need to compete.
Myles Turner has been linked to the Raptors in the past, but the Pacers need the shooting and rim protection he provides at center. Indiana’s best offer would likely center around Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker and Andrew Nembhard, promising young prospects who fit the timeline of Scottie Barnes.
Atlanta Hawks
I wrote about why the Hawks continue to be connected to Siakam here. The short version: Atlanta made a win-now move when it acquired Dejounte Murray and yet continues to be a sub-.500 team. Siakam would add another dimension on offense and give the Hawks a much-needed jolt defensively.
Murray doesn’t make as much sense for the Raptors now that they have Immanuel Quickley, and Jalen Johnson might now be too valuable for the Hawks to trade. Toronto would probably be looking at a deal around Bogdan Bogdanovic and/or De’Andre Hunter to match salary, then some combination of Onyeka Okongwu, Saddiq Bey, Kobe Bufkin and AJ Griffin.
Sacramento Kings
This isn’t the first time the Kings have been mentioned as a potential suitor for Siakam.
Sacramento is already home to two All-Stars in De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Siakam would give the Kings even more of a punch as they look to build on last season’s first-round loss to the Warriors. Fox and Siakam would be dynamite in transition, and while Sabonis would benefit from playing next to a more reliable 3-point shooter in the frontcourt, Siakam would play well off of him as a cutter.
The Kings are another team in the bottom half of the league in defensive efficiency. Once again, Siakam’s versatility would help.
Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter would get the Kings close to matching Siakam’s salary. The big question is whether or not the Kings would be willing to give up Keegan Murray. If not, this would probably have to be a pick-heavy deal to gain any sort of interest from the Raptors.
Dallas Mavericks
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks have “registered some exploratory trade interest” in Siakam. Stein added that the interest has been “overstated,” but Dallas is said to be looking for an upgrade at power forward. While Siakam may not be at the top of the team’s list, he’s one of the best fours in the NBA.
Siakam, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving would have a lot to figure out, but they would form a dynamic trio. Doncic is a top-five player, Irving is a star with plenty of experience playing with other stars and Siakam would be one heck of a safety valve for both of them.
Dereck Lively II is the best young prospect on the Mavericks, but he’s fit in perfectly next to Doncic and Irving at a position of need. It’s hard to imagine the front office giving him up for someone who could be a five-month rental. Their best shot at acquiring Siakam would likely be a framework of Tim Hardaway Jr., Richaun Holmes and Josh Green.
Golden State Warriors
Our Steph Noh pitched a Siakam-to-Warriors trade here. I turned it down, but it wasn’t a hard no. The package he offered — Siakam, Thaddeus Young and Otto Porter Jr. for Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and two future second-round picks — does check some important boxes for the Raptors.
Even in a down year, Thompson is still a knockdown 3-point shooter and he’d be an ideal mentor to Gradey Dick. Moody provides even more shooting and Kuminga is one of the more interesting prospects in the league.
Like our Gil McGregor said, the Raptors probably aren’t going to get a much better offer for Siakam at this point.
Philadelphia 76ers
As Noh wrote in his trade grades, the return the 76ers got for Harden sets them up to make another move down the road.
The 76ers have found a formula that works for them. What they need to figure out is if they’re better off surrounding Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid with role players or turning some of that depth into a third star.
Siakam would be an interesting addition. His decline as a 3-point shooter would be a concern next to Embiid, who is one of the most dominant paint scorers in the NBA, but the 76ers would be even better in the open court and Siakam’s playmaking would give them another option in the halfcourt.
Tobias Harris would almost certainly be involved in the deal to match salary. Philadelphia’s veterans probably wouldn’t interest a rebuilding Toronto team, so this would probably have to be another pick-centered deal.
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