Inquiring about Pascal Siakam
At the very least, piggybacking on this most recent report regarding the Raptors, the Portland Trail Blazers should inquire about the availability of Pascal Siakam. Even though I’m still bullish on the idea that the Raptors would trade him, I think if a strong enough deal comes across the table, Toronto would not completely ignore it. And this may end up being the type of all-in package that the Blazers need to offer to keep Damian Lillard around.
In this deal, the Blazers would throw a ton at the Raptors and force them to say no. It would start with Anfernee Simons, the third and 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and a 2026 first-round pick to round things off. This is a huge deal that the Raptors may not be able to decline for Siakam.
For as good as he’s been for the franchise, it’s hard to predict where exactly he falls when it comes to the team’s next build. He could very well be a big part of it but on the other hand, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if they would be open to moving on for the right price. And this offer from the Blazers may be the right price for the Raptors.