The Toronto Raptors have been exploring the option of trading Pascal Siakam for months now.
To date, nothing has materialized.
Despite Siakam coming off his best statistical season as a pro, his refusal to commit to re-signing with whoever acquires him and the massive price tag associated with his next contract has made finding the right deal difficult.
This week, a frontrunner for Siakam’s services became known.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Atlanta Hawks have quietly emerged as a serious frontrunner for Siakam.
“The Atlanta Hawks have been the strongest suitor for Siakam, and talks between them and Toronto were fluid and ongoing as recently as Las Vegas Summer League in July,” Charania wrote.
“Atlanta has offered a package centered around De’Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin and draft compensation to Toronto for Siakam, league sources say. But the Raptors are believed to have upped the price on any possible deal at each turn.
“For now, talks are at a complete pause, and the Hawks are fully prepared to enter the 2023-24 season with their current team, according to league sources.”
Siakam is owned nearly $38 million next year. From there, the Raptors can re-sign him to a contract that spans four years and is worth nearly $200 million.
Last season Siakam averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game – but the Raptors struggled. A poor roster composition and questionable chemistry between players and coaches alike made for a troubled campaign for a usually scrappy Toronto group.
That in turn led to even more trade talks involving Siakam.
Klay talks Jordan Poole and that whole situation. https://t.co/FVqBBr9svb
— Game 7 (@game7__) August 10, 2023
Siakam, for his part, would seemingly prefer to stay in Toronto. He won a championship there and seems pretty comfortable with the organization.
Whether the Raptors want to commit to him long-term is the big question, though.
Where will Siakam ultimately be left playing when it’s all said and done? Time will tell.
Related: Tennessee Titans Cheerleader’s Latest Wild Photos Cause A Stir
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
