• Pistons, Pacers most rumored teams in Siakam chase. If Pascal Siakam is not at the top of your “traded by the deadline” list, move him there now. That seemed obvious from the moment Toronto traded OG Anunoby to the Knicks and more reports than could be listed here confirmed that a move is coming. But where? Jake Fischer at Yahoo Sports had this report:
But the chatter among NBA executives surrounding Siakam’s potential landing spots has now centered on Indiana, Sacramento and Detroit... Other teams mentioned, such as Dallas and Philadelphia, don’t appear as viable destinations at this juncture, although Toronto officials have suggested to inquiring front offices as many as 10 teams hold legitimate interest in Siakam, sources said.
Scratch Sacramento... probably. Shams Charania reported late on Friday that the Kings “are deciding to pull out of the Pascal Siakam talks.” That means one of a few things. First, that they realize another team (say, Indiana) is about to win the sweepstakes and they pulled out to save face. Second, that Siakam told them he would not re-sign there this summer no matter the offer. Third (and the option Kings fans should cling to), they realized that the price to land him was not worth it considering his questionable fit with Domantas Sabonis.
Don’t forget that Siakam has some leverage in this trade because he is a free agent at the end of this season. Marc Stein reported this week that Siakam “would prefer, again, to proceed to unrestricted free agency” if traded, not automatically re-sign with that team. That could be Siakam’s camp trying to exert some leverage, but if it is true it will lower the return for Toronto because no team is giving up much in assets for a potential rental.
Which could be Toronto’s problem in striking a deal with Indiana: The Pacers have cap flexibility this summer and can arrange to have more than $30 million in cap space, if Siakam wants to come why give up quality trade assets to get him now when they can get him next summer for nothing?
Also of note, not in that mix of potential buyers are the Atlanta Hawks, who had serious conversations with the Raptors about a Siakam trade over the summer, but are more likely to be sellers at the deadline, not buyers.
Expect more teams to be linked to Siakam — if a front office wants to show its fan base it’s active without really doing much it lobs a call to the Raptors, then leaks there were talks — but the Pacers are known to be in the market for a wing who can step in and play a major role. There is logic to them having genuine interest.
• Wait, the Pistons might want to be buyers and trade for another veteran? Yes. Seriously. That the Pistons were as or more likely to buy than sell at the deadline is something NBC Sports heard from a league source previously (but was slow to believe it) and now Fischer at Yahoo Sports and James Edwards III at The Athletic are reporting it. This appears to be true. Does owner Tom Gores want to step in? Some of the worst trades in the NBA come when a GM fears losing his job and starts thinking short-term rather than about the big picture. With Monty Williams being signed to one of the richest coaching deals in league history, he’s not going anywhere, so Troy Weaver becomes the guy on the hot seat.
But the chatter among NBA executives surrounding Siakam’s potential landing spots has now centered on Indiana, Sacramento and Detroit... Other teams mentioned, such as Dallas and Philadelphia, don’t appear as viable destinations at this juncture, although Toronto officials have suggested to inquiring front offices as many as 10 teams hold legitimate interest in Siakam, sources said.
Scratch Sacramento... probably. Shams Charania reported late on Friday that the Kings “are deciding to pull out of the Pascal Siakam talks.” That means one of a few things. First, that they realize another team (say, Indiana) is about to win the sweepstakes and they pulled out to save face. Second, that Siakam told them he would not re-sign there this summer no matter the offer. Third (and the option Kings fans should cling to), they realized that the price to land him was not worth it considering his questionable fit with Domantas Sabonis.
Don’t forget that Siakam has some leverage in this trade because he is a free agent at the end of this season. Marc Stein reported this week that Siakam “would prefer, again, to proceed to unrestricted free agency” if traded, not automatically re-sign with that team. That could be Siakam’s camp trying to exert some leverage, but if it is true it will lower the return for Toronto because no team is giving up much in assets for a potential rental.
Which could be Toronto’s problem in striking a deal with Indiana: The Pacers have cap flexibility this summer and can arrange to have more than $30 million in cap space, if Siakam wants to come why give up quality trade assets to get him now when they can get him next summer for nothing?
Also of note, not in that mix of potential buyers are the Atlanta Hawks, who had serious conversations with the Raptors about a Siakam trade over the summer, but are more likely to be sellers at the deadline, not buyers.
Expect more teams to be linked to Siakam — if a front office wants to show its fan base it’s active without really doing much it lobs a call to the Raptors, then leaks there were talks — but the Pacers are known to be in the market for a wing who can step in and play a major role. There is logic to them having genuine interest.
• Wait, the Pistons might want to be buyers and trade for another veteran? Yes. Seriously. That the Pistons were as or more likely to buy than sell at the deadline is something NBC Sports heard from a league source previously (but was slow to believe it) and now Fischer at Yahoo Sports and James Edwards III at The Athletic are reporting it. This appears to be true. Does owner Tom Gores want to step in? Some of the worst trades in the NBA come when a GM fears losing his job and starts thinking short-term rather than about the big picture. With Monty Williams being signed to one of the richest coaching deals in league history, he’s not going anywhere, so Troy Weaver becomes the guy on the hot seat.