Pascal Siakam offered a carefully worded response when asked about his future with the Raptors, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. Siakam is headed to unrestricted free agency next summer unless he signs an extension. He’s also been the subject of numerous trade rumors.
“I’m under contract. I’m a Raptors player,” he said. “That’s what I’m focused on. I’m focused on the present.”
Raptors president Masai Ujiri, when asked about the lack of extension talks regarding his power forward, gave a general response about his dissatisfaction with how last season played out, Michael Grange of Sportsnet tweets.
“A lot of players didn’t play the right way,” he said. “I said it, that we were selfish, I’m not running away from that. We were selfish and we didn’t play the right way. So let us see it when we play the right way.”
We have more on the Raptors:
- Another player who has been the subject of numerous trade rumors, OG Anunoby, indicated he hopes to stay put, Lewenberg tweets. “I love Toronto, so I want to be here,” he said. Contractually, he’s in a different situation than Siakam, though both players can reach free agency next summer. Anunoby holds a $19,928,571 option on his contract for the 2024/25 season. He added he’ll let his reps handle any extension talks.
- Ujiri is content with Toronto’s roster for now, but he acknowledged he’ll continue to be active in the trade market, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “This is the team, now, that we want to take into next season,” Ujiri said. “Did we look at other opportunities (in the summer)? Yes we did. Did we look at maybe going younger? Yes we did. But sometimes those opportunities are there and sometimes they’re not there. … I know everybody’s looking for trades, I know everybody’s looking for moves. Trust me — when the right ones come, the right opportunities come, maybe we’ll take those opportunities.”
- Christian Koloko‘s health problems have not subsided. The young big man will miss training camp due to ongoing respiratory issues, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca tweets. Koloko also sat out Summer League action due to the same issue.
Siakam to Miami for Herro and picks… Ujiri is taking 0 risk, not good as a rebuilding GM
Sign me up!
Nah Miami can just sign him in the offseason
No they can’t…they have Duncan, Herro, Butler, and Bam all under contract. They have to trade Lowry contract this year while they can.
You say Ujiri is taking zero risks and then suggest one of the dumbest trade ideas for Siakim possible…
Let’s make the trade make sense for Toronto first…
Bam for Siakim…
Honestly, I’ll keep Siakam over Bam.
Raptors should trade for Giddey. They need a pass first PG. Plus he plays D. This is the next big talent at PG.
I always see all these “this team should trade for that guy” stuff? Who said Giddey’s on the trade market?
He isn’t and Raptors would have to trade OG and Jakob for it to even start a convo imo.
Raptors need a good stir the drink player… Giddey might be that but is probably too expensive for them…
Ujiri making this statement now is odd, even if guys didn’t play the right way. His prior year end summary had a happier face, emphasizing a lack of spirit and that it was almost certainly due to the fired HC, so problem solved. At that time, he proceeded to publicly pull both players off the trade market. This statement is more like put up or shut up, and suggests he’s ready to let both guys play out the season and become UFAs after it. Both are under 30. It’s not the modern NBA way. Only fossils become UFAs.
Masai is basically telling OG and Siakam that their new deals are there if they play as a team with Scottie as the future centerpiece. If either of them think they’re a #1 option in Toronto or anywhere for that matter then they’re fooling themselves. That’s how Masai is negotiating.
Personally I like it and I think it’ll work. Raps will come out hot and they will get their new deals in short order and all this off-season rumor mongering from the media will finally end lol
Tired of “I love this city.” double speak. Then sign. otherwise trade them.