Hawks Trade For Raptors’ Pascal Siakam In 3-Team Scenario

One NBA writer has proposed that the Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder do a three-team trade centered around Pascal Siakam.

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report is proposing that the Hawks acquire Siakam, a player the franchise has been targeting all summer.

“Atlanta is rolling the dice on Siakam’s expiring contract, but the Murray extension actually renders the top of the roster more affordable long term,” Favale wrote. “What Siakam doesn’t promise in floor spacing, he makes up for in bullish drives and playmaking and general high-end combo-big artistry at both ends. Moving Capela frees up Siakam to play some 5 and lets the Hawks increase the extension-eligible Oneyka Okongwu’s role.”

Siakam signed a four-year, $136 million rookie contract extension with the Raptors in October 2019. He has one year left on his contract. The 29-year-old, who helped Toronto win the 2019 championship over the Golden State Warriors in six games, will make $37.9 million in 2023-24.

Siakam averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists last season for the Raptors while shooting 48.0% from the field, 32.4% from beyond the arc and 77.4% from the free-throw line. Toronto lost the 9-10 play-in game to the Chicago Bulls and didn’t make the 2023 playoffs.

Any team trying to trade for Siakam must be careful, as according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT, Siakam prefers to stay with the Raptors and the swingman may not re-sign with a team who trades for him.

The Raptors fired Nick Nurse as head coach and hired Darko Rajakovic after the season ended. Fred VanVleet left Toronto for the Houston Rockets in free agency, while Gary Trent Jr. and Jakob Poeltl are staying with the Raptors.

Opposing front offices still believe the Raptors’ high valuation of their players, such as Siakam and OG Anunoby, marks the biggest roadblock to any potential trade.