Although the Raptors and Pascal Siakam haven’t generated any real traction on a contract extension for the star forward, there have been “framework-type conversations” between the two sides since early in the season, sources tell Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.
Grange suggests that December 30 had been viewed as a key date in the extension talks, since reaching a long-term deal by Saturday would make Siakam trade-eligible again at the start of free agency in July. Conversely, a trade by Dec. 30 would put Siakam’s new team in position to sign him to an extension prior to free agency.
However, Grange doesn’t get the sense that there’s any momentum toward a decision on Siakam coming within the next day or two. If the Raptors don’t extend Siakam by Saturday and then want to move him by the trade deadline, his new team would have to be pretty confident in its ability to re-sign him as a free agent, since an extension of more than two years (or featuring a raise greater than 5%) would be prohibited for six months after a trade.
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Toronto has “no appetite for a reset, teardown, or rebuild,” according to Grange, who says the franchise’s primary goal is figuring out how to put a successful roster together around Scottie Barnes. In a perfect world, Grange continues, Siakam and OG Anunoby would remain part of the core. But that would require the team finding “better and more complementary pieces” to complement the trio of Barnes, Siakam, and Anunoby.
- Gary Trent Jr. is eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2024, but he hasn’t been a part of any of the team’s contract extension talks so far, sources tell Grange.
- Doug Smith of The Toronto Star believes trades of some sort are inevitable for the Raptors, given their current roster. He explores some possibilities and considers whether the team might make Dennis Schröder available if Barnes shows he can handle point guard duties in the new-look starting lineup.
- Head coach Darko Rajakovic stressed that Barnes isn’t suddenly Toronto’s full-time point guard with Schröder coming off the bench, but he does expect the former Rookie of the Year’s ball-handling responsibilities to increase, as Eric Koreen of The Athletic details. “I think the main reason for doing this is to speed up his development,” Rajakovic said. “When a player is really on the ball a lot, he is just forced to make all of those decisions: how to handle the pressure and how to handle different pick-and-roll coverages, how to set up his teammates. I believe that he has those talents in him.”
Siakam & Potto for Mathurin, Hield, Toppin and a first.
OG & Flynn for Huerter, Davion with two firsts.
Like the first deal – not so crazy about the second one. Mitchell doesn’t excite me as a prospect/centrepiece of a deal for OG. I wonder is including Schroeder rather than Flynn in the deal might pry a better young player back in return.
If they have no appetite for a rebuild it’s time for new management. A core of Barnes, Siakam, and OG isn’t a title contender, and those are the only guys on the roster with trade value.
I would agree. Even if Barnes takes the full Superstar leap, which he may be on his way, both OG and Pascal are number 3 or 4 best players on a Championship team at best. Throw in a limited amount of assets to deal for a Superstar, dealing at least one of those two, preferably both, and any vets (ie Jakob, Otto, etc) that can bring back youth/draft assets should be the goal.
As good a city as Toronto is, getting a Superstar FA to sign there isn’t easy. As such, Cap Space, draft assets and youth are the successful formula to bring in that 1 – 2 to put with Barnes and get back into contention.
Trent Jr also has value…
He has some, but what I meant was enough value to bring back several promising young players and/or first round picks.
You’re flat out wrong. The fact that Raptors management is doing the opposite of what people like you want them to do proves their competence.
No need to get emotional, why so serious????
@andrewhanna
Have you followed the team for the last three seasons? They are decidedly mediocre with a ton of redundancy on the roster and no spacing. It’s a big enough sample size to know it’s not gonna work.
Also, instead of just telling me that I’m wrong, why don’t you tell us what your rationale is for keeping the current roster together?
I disagree with the sentiments of Pascal and OG not being good enough. The problem isn’t the talent, it’s the roster construction. Pascal and Barnes are too similar and both need the ball to be effective on offense. OG is a good player, but he’s not really an offensive option or bridge type; he’s 3&D taken to its logical conclusion, not a guy who should be carrying any sort of shot creation load. It’s why they’ve struggled even with FVV, he’s not a good shot creator inside the 3pt line and has clear offensive and defensive limitations. Lowry didn’t have that, and his leadership both in mentality and on the court kept the Raptors working. Siakam and Barnes are both the kind of guy who needs a high-caliber all-rounder at the Point to carry the shot creation and primary distribution duties, as well as enough 3pt shooting and defense to allow either of them to operate as the ball handler. And with their overlapping skillsets, they can’t work well together.
Siakam is good enough to be a 2nd option on a contender; he’s proven that multiple times. But his overlap with Barnes and the weak roster construction make it impossible with the Raptors.
Keep Scottie and Pascal as core, and build around them. OG is a great trade chip
Pascal has been a great core piece of the franchise for many years….but so were DeMar and Kyle and management realized with both of those guys that it was time to move on. It’s no different with Pascal. He had an incredible run in Toronto but he’s no longer a good fit ling term. Clearly, Barnes is the future. I think OG should be a part of that future as well. But if the team can’t get his signed they need to bite the bullet and deal him while his value is still through the roof. Either way, it’s time to get value for Pascal and move on from solid vets like Trent and Schroeder. What happened to the days when Masai was taking risks and shots in the dark? Now he comes across as being paralyzed in fear and loses a guy like FVF for nothing. The organization can’t afford to lose more assets for no return. Masai needs to get back to his instinctive, gambling ways. Sure, he had some wild misses in some drafts and free agent signings, but every team does…..but he also nailed a lot of his hunches and gambles.
Realistically, it’s probably ownership calling the shots, not Masai. It seems like they want to milk the 2019 championship for as long as possible. Attendance is still near the top of the league despite the mediocre product on the floor.
I highly doubt attendance matters at all seeing as the Leafs are the cash cows of cash cows. Leafs season ticket holders are forced to buy Raptors as well. Attendance (or at least tickets sold) will never be an issue.
@MB81 that detail about season ticket holders hasn’t been true for quite awhile fyi
I really don’t see Masai allowing himself to be in a situation where he would be restricted from making moves by ownership. With all the success he’s had in his stops in the NBA and basketball Africa and with all the teams that have pursued him and the influence he has wielded, he just doesn’t have to accept handcuffs from ownership. If they restricted his power in such a way, he’d bounce to another organization. They’d be lined up to take him off Torontos hands.
Masai is for some time in a peacock phase. He is not questioning himself anymore. Just check his conferences in last couple of years. It’s never his fault, and it is always me me me
Ujiri put together this team under his own, long held, philosophy. His dream team? Perhaps not, but he’s professed love for the roster at every turn. Of course, he’s yet to own its performance. Now he has another 6 weeks to blame that performance on everything other than his roster contruction. He needs to make long overdue transactions happen by the deadline, starting with trading or extending each of Siakam and OG. If not, he’ll likely lose both this summer for very little if anything.
Deadline is a month away, I fully expect then to unload talent. The roster isn’t cohesive, and doubling down by maxing OG and Siakam wouldn’t change the end result.
If they can get back mostly expiring deals via 2 or 3 team deal, and picks, go for it. Team trading cor either gets their bird rights, offer a 5 yr deal vs a 4 yr deal.
Detroit has the pieces to do it, if they were to take on Fournier and get back their FRP.
Harris, Burks, Morris, picks. Done.
Lol OK then
If Pistons will offer up Bogdanovic, Hayes sure.
Raps can still trade with either kings, pacers or hawks.
What?
Don’t cry