Looking to immediately improve their roster around All-Star point guard Trae Young this NBA offseason, the Atlanta Hawks are fixated on Toronto Raptors star big man Pascal Siakam, league sources told ClutchPoints.

Siakam, who is entering the final year of his contract this summer, has expressed his interest to re-sign with the Raptors and remain in Toronto for the foreseeable future, yet the organization finds themselves at a crossroads. Their plans to re-sign both Fred VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl in free agency did not go as planned, with VanVleet now a member of the Houston Rockets. When fully healthy, Toronto truly believed that they could contend against any other team in the Eastern Conference, which is one of the main reasons why they wanted to retain the core of their roster from a season ago.

With VanVleet gone though, the narrative surrounding the Raptors has changed and there is a belief amongst league circles that they are more willing to discuss trade opportunities that come their way. This does not necessarily mean though that president Masai Ujiri will begin clearing house and making trades just for the sake of changing his roster.

The Raptors have always been an organization that holds themselves to a high, winning standard and rebuilding has never been something they have looked to do. Ujiri has done an excellent job of re-tooling and re-shaping his roster through the years, which is exactly what we should expect from this organization in light of VanVleet's departure.

In regards to Siakam, the Raptors have not shown a ton of willingness to engage in trade talks surrounding the two-time All-Star, sources said. They have however listened to offers coming their way and the Hawks have remained in constant conversation with the Raptors regarding Siakam. Atlanta traded John Collins to the Utah Jazz before the start of free agency and the need for more firepower alongside Young is noticeable. As Sportsnet's Michael Grange noted recently as well, Siakam is the name that has remained on the Hawks' radar.

Multiple offers and scenarios have been put together by the Hawks, but the Raptors have been hesitant in all discussions involving Siakam, sources said. While a level of interest may exist from Toronto's point of view in what Atlanta has to offer, the idea of giving up Siakam has not sat well with some within the organization, as trading him may result in the Raptors taking a major step backwards.

It is worth noting as well that the Hawks have been willing to discuss all options in their pursuit of Pascal Siakam as long as those talks do not involve Young. All-Star guard Dejounte Murray and forward De'Andre Hunter are their two best tradeable assets with Murray emerging as a possible target for Toronto in trade discussions, sources said, after VanVleet's free agency decision. If the Raptors are to make a move involving one of their core pieces, they will be doing everything they can to move forward and not laterally.

This is where things have stalled, as the idea of moving Siakam in a package for a player like Murray does not necessarily move the needle in terms of Toronto improving their chances of competing in the Eastern Conference. No deal between the Hawks and Raptors appears to be imminent at this time, as both sides continue to search for ways to improve their outlook heading into the new season.