Many members of the 2016 NBA draft class are projected to get extensions this summer, as the players in that class are eligible for rookie-scale extensions up until Oct. 21. Perhaps the member of that grouping likely to get paid is Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam.
Toronto fans were ecstatic to see Siakam and the Raptors win their first title in franchise history a few short months ago, as they were able to overtake the Golden State Warriors dynasty, with Siakam being a big reason for that.
While Siakam will be returning in a Raptors uniform this season, his former teammate and Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard will not, as he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this offseason.
With the departure of Leonard, Siakam is now the “big man on campus” for the Raptors, as the young player seems poised for an All-Star season, and with that star status comes a fat paycheck.
Reported first by Josh Lewenburg of the Toronto Sports Network, Siakam and the Raptors have engaged in preliminary talks regarding an extension, but the deal doesn't appear imminent.
Under his current deal, Siakam may be the best value deal in the NBA. Despite being the second-best player on the team that won the title last season, as of Sept. 27, he is only projected to get paid $2.3 million over the course of the 2019-20 season.
Averaging 16.9 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game, and shooting 59.2 percent on 2-point field goals, it's clear that Siakam needs to paid more. With Leonard and Danny Green gone, those averages are likely to go up with Siakam having a lion's share of offensive opportunities.
The impressive numbers in the above paragraph were the reason why Siakam earned the NBA's Most Improved Player award for the 2018-19 season, and if he manages to improve at the same rate this season, he could take the leap to superstardom.
With this potential to improve and Siakam now being the franchise player in Toronto, a priority for the Raptors should not only be to give Siakam more money, but perhaps even offer him a max contract.
While a max contract is steep money for any team regardless of cap space, Siakam has the potential to end his career as the best player that has ever played in a Toronto uniform. He's a unicorn, as his 6'9″ frame and quickness allows him to guard every position on the floor while also being a mismatch on offense for most opposing defenses.
It's also important to note that Siakam improved even more in the postseason, as in the 2019 playoffs, he was able to increase his averages to 19.0 ppg and 7.1 rpg in that run to the Finals.
His best brand of basketball came in the NBA Finals, as Siakam improved yet again to average 19.8 ppg and 7.5 rpg in the championship series. While historically elite players such as Karl Malone have tended to struggle in those high-pressure situations, Siakam shined in the spotlight and stepped up his game when it mattered most.
This ability to step in the clutch proves that Siakam can be a franchise player, and that championship pedigree he now possesses can help him lead younger players to more Toronto postseason success. If Siakam doesn't have a max deal by this time a month from now, the Raptors organization will have made a huge mistake.
Follow Us
Subscribe