We are officially a week away from the 2023 NBA trade deadline, and it looks like one team that could end up being very busy at the deadline is the Toronto Raptors. Pretty much everyone on the Raptors roster has seen their name floating around in trade rumors recently, including star forward Pascal Siakam.
Siakam has only continued to improve for the Raptors this season (24.9 PPG, 8 RPG, 6.2 APG, 47 FG%) but it hasn't led to much success in Toronto, as their 23-30 record sees them currently sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference currently. Some teams have lurked around Siakam, wondering if he would be available as the Raptors contemplate a rebuild, but it looks like his trade status has received a firm update as the deadline draws near.
“All of which explains why Anunoby has been featured so prominently in trade discussions – there is no expectation that the Raptors are ready to move on from Siakam at the moment and, in Anunoby’s case, the sixth-year wing hits all the right notes as a top-end player at a prominent position, on a good contract, with some term remaining (Anunoby doesn’t hit free agency until the summer of 2024) who could be an instant fit on any team with hopes of making a deep playoff push.” – Michael Grange, Sportsnet
There has certainly been a lot of chatter surrounding a trade for O.G. Anunoby, and it looks like we may finally know why. While there have been rumors that Siakam could be dealt, it seems like something the Raptors simply aren't entertaining right now, partly because they are focused on moving Anunoby. So while Toronto could still be very busy, Siakam looks set to stay in place, and teams that were planning on pursuing him will have to look elsewhere.
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