Coming into the 2021-22 NBA season, there were a lot of eyes on the Toronto Raptors. People were unsure of what direction they were going in, as the team came to a crossroads.
Veteran Kyle Lowry, the most decorated player in franchise history, moved on in free agency, landing with the Miami Heat in a sign-and-trade. Would some of their younger veterans, such as Fred VanVleet or Pascal Siakam, also be on the move?
There were some trade rumors involving both during the offseason, but Siakam’s name was brought up more. The Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors were two teams that showed interest in acquiring him.
Toronto pushed back on any inquiries, as Siakam is one player they want to continue building around. He is still recovering from a shoulder operation, so we haven’t seen him on the court yet this season.
That is partly why the Raptors’ results this season, as they are 2-3, have been so up and down. But, those same performances are exactly why the Raptors shouldn’t be open to a Siakam trade at this time.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Clippers-Raptors Trade Involves Pascal Siakam
There have been some head-scratching performances. Toronto sandwiched a 115-point scoring performance in a 32-point blowout victory over the Boston Celtics on the road with losses to the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks in which they scored 83 and 95 points respectively.
Those kinds of swings and inconsistency would be lessened with an All-Star such as Siakam back in the lineup. It is encouraging to see his teammates perform at the level they have been so far, and inserting him into things will only take them to greater heights.
Adjusting without your leading scorer is not an easy thing to do. OG Anunoby has stepped up in his absence, averaging what would be a career-high 19 points per game. Rookie Scottie Barnes is stuffing the stat sheet, putting up 17 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Clippers-Raptors Trade Involves Pascal Siakam
Adding Siakam to that frontcourt mix would further lengthen the team’s rotation and realign players where they should be in the pecking order. Anunoby has struggled a bit with his efficiency as the No. 1 option, but sliding him into the second or third scoring option along with VanVleet should help him get his efficiency back to the levels we are used to seeing him.
At this point, trading Siakam wouldn’t make much sense. Toronto is better off seeing how he fits in with the roster they have built for the post-Lowry era of Raptors basketball. If Siakam can help elevate this team like he is capable of, they could be buyers looking to solidify their roster for another playoff run.
