The Toronto Raptors have major decisions to make soon with their pending free agents in O.G. Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. and Pascal Siakam.
All three players are set to become unrestricted free agents next summer.
The biggest question is what is going to happen with Siakam. He hasn’t signed an extension with Toronto to this point and according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange there is no plan for Toronto to offer Siakam an extension right now:
“To start with, not in the plan for the moment is an extension for Siakam, who can sign with Toronto for up to four years and $192 million until June 30.”
Grange says if the Raptors trade Siakam by Dec. 30 that might offer some advantages to the acquiring team because it would have a window before free agency begins on July 1 to reach an agreement on a four-year extension using Siakam’s Bird Rights.
Grange notes that if Siakam isn’t traded or extended by Saturday, the Raptors would still be able to sign him to an extension but wouldn’t be able to trade him until six months past the signing date.
If the Raptors don’t extend Siakam and trade him before the Feb. 9 trade deadline, then the team that trades for him would have to be certain it could sign Siakam as a free agent if they trade assets for him, per Grange.
Grange adds that no one is going to pay top dollar for a half-season of Siakam who could leave in free agency.
The future of Siakam is unknown
The Raptors have put themselves in a tough spot. They have not expressed interest in re-signing Siakam and it may be difficult to move him for top value given his free agency status.
The Raptors weren’t able to re-sign Fred VanVleet in 2023 free agency and lost him to the Houston Rockets for nothing, so the last thing they want is for the same thing to happen with Siakam.
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