One NBA writer thinks the Toronto Raptors will trade Pascal Siakam next season. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes Siakam will be traded if the Raptors are “hovering in or around the bottom third of the East.”
“So, if Toronto is hovering in or around the bottom third of the East as the trade deadline approaches, it should (and probably will) explore the value of Siakam,” Bailey wrote in his latest NBA trade column. “As a third or fourth option, he can still move the needle the way he did for the 2019 championship-winning Raptors, but he’s a little over-extended in his current role (2018-19 was the last time he posted above-average scoring efficiency).”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors Updates
Several NBA teams have shown interest in pursuing Siakam via trade over the past three months, but the external market has been tempered a bit due to the fact that it’s been made clear Siakam would not extend with a team that trades for him. Siakam can sign for 30 percent of the salary cap either now via extension or next offseason as a free agent with the Raptors or any other franchise.
The Raptors are eligible to sign Siakam to a maximum contract extension of four years and at least $192 million. Thus far, there have been no substantive conversations surrounding an extension. And for Siakam’s part, the NBA star has never requested to be traded.
Siakam averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists last season for the Raptors while shooting 48.0% from the field, 32.4% from beyond the arc and 77.4% from the free-throw line. He’s one of the top forwards in the NBA.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors Updates
A Douala native, Siakam has career NBA averages of 17.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He won the 2019 NBA championship and the 2018-19 Most Improved Player of the Year Award. The Atlanta Hawks have been trying to acquire Siakam all summer, sources told NBA Analysis Network, but Atlanta and Toronto haven’t made much progress on a trade.
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