With Kawhi Leonard gone, it appears the Toronto Raptors are ready to hand the keys to the offense to small forward Pascal Siakam.
Raptors head coach Nick Nurse says Siakam could maybe become Toronto's “primary option” this season.
“I think a situation has been created for him to expand his role a little bit,” Nurse said, via the Toronto Sun. “Maybe become our primary option on offence. Again, his shooting continues to improve. It’s something that really wasn’t part of his game a couple of years ago. It’s adequate now. He’s going to need to step in and take those (shots).”
Siakam spent the offseason working on his game, particularly his ball-handling and mid-range shooting. Now, as Nurse noted, he has the chance to show his versatility and take over for the Raptors during games.
“He’s very versatile bringing the ball up the floor. We’ll give him a lot of freedom, a lot of opportunities to continue to expand his game, but he’ll be somebody that has a great season I think,” Nurse said.
Siakam averaged 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Raptors during the 2018-19 regular season. He shot 54.9 percent from the field, 36.9 percent from beyond the arc and 78.5 percent from the free-throw line.
During the 2019 playoffs, Siakam put up 19.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists. The Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals in six games. Siakam scored 32 points in Game 1 while shooting an impressive 14-of-17 from the floor.
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