Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam is becoming a hot name as the trade deadline approaches.
Toronto is looking to pivot as a franchise after some mediocre seasons since winning a championship in 2019. O.G. Anunoby was the first to be moved as he was traded to the New York Knicks.
Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett have been two nice additions alongside Scottie Barnes. The Raptors are now looking to add more youth around Barnes as they are retooling.
Siakam has been in a lot of rumors as of late with playoff teams looking to add more firepower. The Sacramento Kings were heavily involved in potentially trading for him but ultimately pulled out of talks.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Kings’ trade package revolved around veteran Harrison Barnes:
“I’m told the Raptors and Kings were in active conversations about a Pascal Siakam trade… revolving around Harrison Barnes. At this point, the only way it ignites is if Toronto comes back to Sacramento.”
It was rumored that Barnes was on the trade block and he does not necessarily fit the need that the Raptors are looking for. As young players are becoming a prominent need for Toronto, Barnes is a veteran forward, who fits a championship contender.
For Masai Ujiri, it makes sense why Barnes isn’t an enticing name, especially if he is the prominent name in a package going to Toronto.
Kevin Huerter and Davion Mitchell are probably two other players who would potentially be thrown into the deal as well. While those two players are both 25-years-old, the Raptors should be seeking a bit more upside in a Siakam trade.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, Toronto was seeking Keegan Murray in any Siakam trade, which may be the reason why talks fizzled out between the two sides.
As many as 10 teams interested in Siakam
While the Kings were upping their pursuit in Siakam for a bit, there are still plenty of suitors interested in the Raptors forward.
Fischer suggests that there are as many as 10 teams interested in Siakam, which may result in a bidding war.
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