Raptors forward Pascal Siakam hopes to finish his career with the only NBA team he’s ever known, a source close to the 29-year-old tells Doug Smith of The Toronto Star.
Smith is confirming — and expanding on — Chris Haynes‘ recent report about Siakam warning off potential trade suitors by suggesting he’d refuse to re-sign with them if he was dealt. Haynes also wrote Siakam wanted to remain with Toronto long term.
General manager Bobby Webster acknowledged the Raptors saw the report, per Smith, though obviously that doesn’t necessarily mean it will impact the team’s decision-making.
“It popped right before the draft and we kind of just had a quick chat about it,” Webster said Thursday. “But, no, generally we’re not going to talk about any of that stuff publicly.”
Siakam will be entering a contract year in 2023/24, so a club that gives up a significant package to acquire him would likely want assurances that he’d be willing to stick around for more than one season, even if he doesn’t agree to an extension right away. The Hawks and Blazers are among the teams rumored to have interest in Siakam.
It’s worth noting that Siakam would qualify for a super-max contract – worth 35% of the cap instead of 30% – if he makes an All-NBA team in 2024, but would become ineligible for the super-max if he’s traded. That’s not to say that his reported desire to remain in Toronto isn’t genuine, but he’d also have contract-related reasons to want to stay put.
As Smith writes, the Raptors seem to have a “new era of enthusiasm” — seemingly due to their coaching change — and that may have played a factor in Gary Trent Jr.‘s decision to pick up his player option. New head coach Darko Rajokovic has been meeting with players individually to get to know them, Smith adds.
Having a two-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA member like Siakam putting word out that he wants to stay with the Raptors is a rarity for the organization, Smith notes, with players often spurning Toronto in free agency. It also shows the star forward believes in the team and thinks the 2022/23 season was an “aberration.” Toronto went 41-41 and was eliminated from postseason contention in the play-in tournament.
Smith argues retaining Siakam would be a prudent choice, because the Raptors could move him in the future even if he gets a lucrative extension. He also thinks having one of their best players already seemingly bought in for next season is important if the team wants more on-court success.
Siakam appeared in 71 games last season, leading the league in minutes per game (37.4) for the second straight season. He averaged career highs in points (24.2) and assists (5.8) while pulling down 7.8 rebounds and posting a .480/.324/.774 shooting line.
Trade OG for Anfernee Simons and picks.
Assuming OG is willing to re-up with Portland, it’s a slam dunk for both sides.
Toronto adds much needed shooting. Dick can slide right into OG’s spot at the three (haha).
Portland gets the 3&D wing they need to convince Dame they can still compete without trading Scoot.
As long as Toronto can resign Fred (which I assume they can since they didn’t trade him at the deadline), this is a no brainer for both teams.
Simons is better than OG, so TOR should be the one sending picks to POR, now that seems better, right?
Simons is not better than OG lol
Simons is factually not ever gonna be an all star candidate! Not sure og ever will be but he has a much better chance!
But for real simons vslue is similar to Jordan Poole a very similar one way player like simons ! The value of Tyler herro is very similar to that as well
I wouldn’t trade OG for 2 x Simons
This is the dumbest take I’ve ever read. Look at Simons terrible shooting efficiency and horrific defence.
Simons being better than OG is probably one of the dumbest takes I have read on this site, which is saying a lot.
Simons is a pretty potent shooter esp from 3! It’s just that he offers no defense no real playmaking no nothing but scoring 20 ppg ! Which is good but 36 other players averaged at least 20 ppg this season
And the Blazers were garbage while he scored those 20ppg. I always say someone needs to score on a bad team. Gotta be careful putting too much stock in empty stats like that.
Not that I think you are, just in general.
Siakam is one of the few players I would legit be interested in trading for if I was a team looking for his type of talent. He is so underrated and isn’t talked about enough by nba media.
The test of any “new era of enthusiasm” will be Anunoby (ready to re-up). Not Siakam. Of course he wants and will sign a super max. Until that works it’s way to his desk (or doesn’t or can’t), he’ll profess his love of all things Toronto and want to de-motivate any other team to tempt his FO into dealing him. I’m sure he like TOR too.
With the way the only team he has ever known routinely runs him into the ground, he’s a massive injury risk moving forward.
If I’m Toronto, I really dont want to move Barnes, OG, or Siakam. I just think they have a sleeping juggernaut there, if finally used correctly. Like, I didnt want to move those first 2 guys for Kevin Durant.
They’ve had some injuries the last couple of seasons, and I wasnt a fan of the rotation decisions. Hopefully, the new coach can use their versatility correctly, and their shooting doesnt get injured
There’s more to Siakim wanting to stay in TO than the super max. He is loved by the city and he’s had a great career there and has a title.He knows he’s going to be featured in the offense and will put up big numbers which will help him maybe get into the HOF one day and the team has a fairly young roster so there’s a chance to compete for titles in the east and he really likes the new coaches philosophy on playing the game. Siakim and Barnes are a talented pair, they finally have a center in JP who can take some pressure off Siakim, Trent has re-signed which was not expected and they just drafted the best shooter in the draft, which was a huge team need. The question marks are Freddy and OG. OG wants a featured role in the offense and I’m not sure that’s good for the team. If Freddy bolts than maybe OG gets dealt for a ball handler or a shooter. Right now anything can happen with the roster. A lot of teams are interested in Freddy and OG so nobody really knows at this point although I’d be very surprised to see OG traded for a package that was built around young players and picks unless it was a ball handling PG with a big upside.
I’m not sure if OG wants a featured role. I think he wants a clearly defined one. Which almost no one outside Pascal or Fred had last year. Which I think is a big reason why the vibes were so off last year. Most of the team had no idea what Nurse wanted from them in order to stay on the floor.
Toronto just needs to add a all star. I looked at the teams age and just one young player in Scottie Barnes. Trade him for a good player or keep him and start a rebuild and trade everyone else. Leonard please come back you can have Scottie and picks
Maybe get Lowry back too
What do you think C-daddy?
There is little reason for Tor to change up their roster. They have a good mix of vets and young guys. I think changing out VanVleet for a higher IQ PG or someone who can run an offense is all they need roster wise. Similar to Sac getting Sabonis.
I question their dollar store coaching decision though. Hopefully just a bridge year coach to someone better comes along
Maybe wait until you’ve seen him coach a few games before you label him a “dollar store coaching decision”? The Raptors spent like two months interviewing coaches, I don’t think this decision was about saving a few bucks.
Well I have seen him coach, he was an HC in the GLeague and he could barely get above .500. if he can’t succeed in the GLeague, how is he going to succeed in the NBA?
If you are basing success in the GLeague on wins and losses that says more about you than the coach
Haha what? What else would you base it on? How he dresses? How do some of y’all even function in society?
Well, don’t take a Super Max, take a team-building max level deal. Simple. Take a contract that mirrors the ‘baby max’ for rookie scale.
The Raptors could go either way this year…
They’ll either find out it was the coach that was the issue and have a strong season…
Or
They’ll find out their mix of players was the issue and be trading to rebuild at the deadline…
Siakam is not a max player. Raptors have no choice but to sign him. Then they can trade him later. Raptors need a real PG.
You see what a Real PG can do for a team. Haliburton in Indiana ……. I would try and get Giddey for OG, someway.