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The Toronto Raptors are basically saying that they're not open to trading Pascal Siakam unless someone blows them away. Translation: if some team gives them exactly what they're looking for, Siakam could be on the move.
While he and the Raptors are coming off a tumultuous season, Siakam is a highly impactful and compelling player. Siakam does a little bit of everything on the court. He defends well, can put the ball on the floor, hits the boards, moves the ball and has a capable jump shot and post game. Last season, the 27-year-old averaged 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
It'll cost a considerable haul to attain Siakam via trade, as he hasn't even entered the prime of his NBA career. Recent reports state that the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers are “enamored” with Siakam.
Working under the mindset that a trade is possible, here's how the aforementioned three teams stack up against each other in terms of Pascal Siakam being a fit in their system.
3) Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are in a tough spot. Kawhi Leonard will likely miss most of next season due to an ACL injury, subsequently hampering their chances of winning the Western Conference. Pascal Siakam would be a major enhancement for their championship aspirations.
Siakam would feed off Paul George's scoring prowess, getting open looks from all over the floor and almost serving as a point forward/center for head coach Tyronn Lue's offense. The Clippers impressed without Leonard in the playoffs, closing out the Utah Jazz in the second round, which included overcoming a 25-point deficit in a closeout Game 6, and then taking the Phoenix Suns to six games in the ensuing round.
If they're respectable on both ends of the floor with Siakam, the Clippers could still be a force in the West without Leonard. In the scenario that the latter gets on the floor before the playoffs begin, that gives the Clippers a legitimate Big Three with Leonard, George and Siakam. Lue would have length, defense and an ability to score in three players.
A Western Conference contender's lifespan can be short-lived. Acquiring Siakam keeps the Clippers' championship hopes alive a few more seasons. The problem? Trading Siakam would gut the Clippers' roster and future draft capital, which they already did two years ago to acquire Paul George.
2) Golden State Warriors
Pascal Siakam would be a superb fit in the Warriors' rotation. On the floor with a healthy Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Siakam wouldn't be the focus of defensive attention and therefore be able to play to his strengths. That means stuffing the stat sheet — in a good way — evolving as the game rolls on and being the glue piece.
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A healthy Golden State team is one that should be contenders in the West, but they could use another prominent starter to get back to being a formidable force. Siakam and Draymond Green would play well next to each other despite some shooting shortcomings, as they pass well and are renowned defenders. In a way, Siakam is a taller and more productive Green. Versatility and talent would be all over head coach Steve Kerr's rotation.
At the moment, the Warriors have plenty of depth, meaning they can surrender promising young players on rookie deals (James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody) and draft picks while still having a well-rounded rotation. Curry is 33, and Thompson and Green are 31. The clock is ticking on a return to prominence.
At the same time, injuries could halt the Warriors from making a trade of this magnitude. Thompson has missed back-to-back seasons, while Curry and Green have piled up a fair of injuries in recent memory. Keeping the youth alongside veteran pickups/reunions (Otto Porter Jr. and Andre Iguodala) gives the Warriors depth if injuries present themselves to the starting five, especially out on the perimeter.
1) Sacramento Kings
The Kings are stuck in rebuilding hell. De'Aaron Fox is a stud, Richaun Holmes continues to make strides and Tyrese Haliburton is a promising youngster next to Fox. On the whole, though, this team has shown minimal signs of progress. The present core isn't breaking through and making the playoffs next season. Trading for Pascal Siakam would add a much-needed impact player and offensive variety.
With Fox running the show, Haliburton all over the floor and Holmes living around the paint, Siakam could score in several ways. Like the situations he'd enter with the Clippers and Warriors, Siakam wouldn't be the focal point of the offense. The Kings present a similar situation to the one Siakam has been a part of with the Raptors, with that being playing in a starting five with a pair of capable ball handlers and scorers. Siakam previously played with guards Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet and would join Fox, Haliburton and rookie Davion Mitchell with Sacramento.
The Kings have plenty of trade ammunition. They could offer some combination of Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley III, future first-round selections and Mitchell — depending on when a deal is made. There's a lot of raw talent on the Kings, which Toronto could view as reclamation projects. From Sacramento's perspective, these players have likely peaked in their system.
Siakam wouldn't ensure the Kings a playoff berth. What he would do is give them someone to benefit from the attention Fox attracts and someone who impacts the game on both ends. He'd be the start of a road to the playoffs, regardless of whether it's in the immediate future.
