NBA Rumors: There's one big reason why the Sacramento Kings are unlikely to pull the trigger on a trade for Pascal Siakam.
Over the next few weeks, Pascal Siakam is a player who's going to see his name in and out of the NBA trade rumor mill. in the final year of his contract, with the Toronto Raptors beginning to retool their roster around Scottie Barnes, all signs point to Siakam being traded at some point before this year's NBA Trade Deadline. With the way the trade winds have been trending recently, it would be surprising if Siakam was still on the Raptors roster at the start of next season.
Just a few days ago, it appeared that the Siakam to Sacramento Kings momentum was beginning to pick up. It was reported that the two sides were having serious discussions about a potential trade. However, a couple of hours after that initial report, all momentum ceased and the Kings "pulled out" of the Siakam trade race.
Why Pascal Siakam trade to the Sacramento Kings won't happen
In the end, now that a few days have passed since then, it seems that the Kings may have pulled out of the Siakam trade race due to the fact that they don't have a strong belief that he would re-sign with the team after the season. It was recently reported that Siakam wants a full max extension and doesn't believe the Kings are a good fit for him long-term.
That clearly turned off the Kings and made them second-guess even pursuing Siakam at all. For what it will take to pry Siakam away from the Raptors, it's likely not worth it in the eyes of Sacramento. Having to give up rotation pieces and draft capital for a player who may not re-sign after the season is not a gamble the Kings are willing to take. At least not right now.
Assuming this report is, it would be shocking if the Kings and Raptors restarted trade talks centered around Siakam. The question now becomes who the Kings could possibly pivot to next.
It's clear that the Kings probably need to make a sizable splash at the NBA Trade Deadline if they want to emerge as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs. With Siakam now being crossed off their big board, could they turn to a player like Jerami Grant, who is under contract for the foreseeable future, and a player that could make a similar impact as Siakam?
Heading into the final few weeks before the NBA Trade Deadline, it's certainly something to keep an eye on.