Would Pascal Siakam Make the Thunder a Real Contender?

It’s been a great start to the season for the young Oklahoma City Thunder, already winning 14 games through their first 20 of the 2023-24 campaign. Oklahoma City sits second in the western conference roughly a quarter of the way through the season, but what is their ceiling?

There’s no question that this Thunder team is really good. But it certainly doesn’t feel like a true contender yet. There will almost certainly be ups and downs throughout a season, and given this is the second youngest roster in the entire NBA, this hot start may not be sustainable.

Although OKC will probably make the playoffs, holding onto the No. 2 seed will be tough. Even if the Thunder did, the postseason is a completely different game. While a few players in the primary rotation have experience in the playoffs, many of the key pieces on the roster have none.

This begs the question of whether or not Oklahoma City is a contender. As of today with the way the roster is currently constructed, probably not. But by trading for a star, that could change.

One name that’s been in several reports over the past year or more as available via trade is Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors.

At 29 years old, he’s a two-time All-Star and NBA champion. This season, Siakam is averaging 20.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game while shooting just under 50% from the floor. Given he has played nearly 500 regular season games and 53 postseason contests, the 6-foot-8 forward would bring a new level of experience and composure to the team.

Furthermore, he actually plays the perfect position for what Oklahoma City needs. To date, the Thunder have rolled out an undersized guard or wing to play next to Chet Holmgren in the front court. Siakam is more of a true forward that could be the perfect fit.

Assuming the Thunder wouldn’t have to trade one of its core pieces and could send out draft capital and young players that aren’t in the primary rotation, Siakam likely would elevate them to contender status.

With that in mind, it still may be too early. Oklahoma City isn’t expected to win it all this season, so why let external pressure force a move like this? Patience has gotten the Thunder this far, so keeping the roster mostly the same through the trade deadline still makes sense.

If it’s a deal that brings Siakam in for cheap, it’s worth it to take that next step towards being a contender. If the price tag is even a little bit high, riding out the current roster is the best move.