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Are the Toronto Raptors about to blow up their team? The hiring of Darko Rajakovic, a first-time head coach with a background in player development, seems to indicate so. After the 2019 championship, the team might feel like they need a bit of a reset. The general opinion seems to be that a Toronto rebuild starts with a trade of their top stars, including Pascal Siakam.
Pascal Siakam might be the best example of the Raptors' top-notch player development in the late 2010s. Drafted with the 27th pick in 2017, Siakam was initially projected as an energy guy off the bench. However, Siakam developed into a two-way star capable of being the second-best player in a championship team. Every aspect of his game improved, and he's now a legitimate top-30 player in the league.
However, as mentioned, the Raptors might be inclined to start a rebuild (or a retooling, at least). Siakam is their most attractive trade piece, as he can fetch a great haul to jumpstart said rebuild. Let's look at the best options the Raptors have with regards to a Pascal Siakam trade.
Portland Trail Blazers
Blazers get: Pascal Siakam
Raptors get: 2023 1st-round pick (#3), Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Nassir Little
It's important to note that these trades will be trades that favor the Raptors more than the other team. In reality, the Blazers are unlikely to give up both Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons to the Raptors in a single trade. Sharpe could be replaced by a player like Keon Johnson. However, the best case scenario for Toronto is if they're able to snag both Simons and Sharpe, somehow.
Toronto's biggest weakness last season was their abysmal depth at the guard position. Yes, Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr were perfectly fine players. Going down the depth chart, though, Toronto's lack of serviceable guards from the bench severely hurt them. This trade allows them to snag two great guards that can run the offense for their new-look team.
Even if we change the trade and remove Sharpe for Johnson, this would still be a win for the Raptors. Simons is the centerpiece of this trade, after all. The wiry guard has all the tools to become one of the best players in the game today. Plus, they still get the third overall pick in this year's draft. One of Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson could fall to them here.
Golden State Warriors
Warriors get: Pascal Siakam
Raptors get: 2023 and 2026 first-round picks, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II
The Warriors were one of the teams that were rumored to be interested in trading for Pascal Siakam during the midseason. It makes sense: Siakam is a forward who can play the Draymond Green role as a secondary option to Stephen Curry. Again, this trade would be the best possible trade for the Raptors. Will Golden State agree to this? Probably not.
Jordan Poole's reputation might have tanked this season due to his subpart play, but the potential to be a star is clearly there. Perhaps a change of scenery away from Stephen Curry is what he needs. The Raptors' player development could also help him take care of his biggest flaws (inconsistency and a weak defensive game).
As for the two other players, Jonathan Kuminga is a project player that fits Masai Ujiri's favorite archetype: a long ball-handling versatile forward. Gary Payton II, on the other hand, will fit in nicely as a point-of-attack stopper similar to Fred VanVleet.
Atlanta Hawks
Hawks get: Pascal Siakam
Raptors get: Dejounte Murray, John Collins, Saddiq Bey, 2023 and 2024 first round picks
The Hawks are a more recent player in the Pascal Siakam sweepstakes, but they present an interesting case for the Raptors. The report by Jake Fischer stated that everyone except for Trae Young could be included in trade discussions. That means Dejounte Murray and/or John Collins could be included in the trade.
So why not the Raptors get both players in this trade? Realistically speaking, Murray might be swapped out for Bojan Bogdanovic. In this hypothetical, though, Toronto gets two young players that still have a lot of room to grow. Murray is an elite All-Star level player that has the tools to be an elite two-way point guard in this league.
The most intriguing piece in this hypothetical is John Collins. Collins was viewed as the third option on a supposedly loaded Hawks squad. However, a finger injury completely destroyed his ability to shoot this season. In this hypothetical, the Raptors are trading for Collins in the hopes that his bad shooting slump last season was due to an injury.
