The NBA’s reigning Most Improved Player, Pascal Siakam, is seeking a maximum-salary contract extension in discussions with the Raptors, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Siakam, who is eligible to sign a new deal up until October 21 at 5:00pm central time, would be a restricted free agent in 2020 if he doesn’t work something out with the Raptors this month.
A maximum extension for Siakam currently projects to be worth just north of $168MM over five years, starting in 2020/21. Ben Simmons and Jamal Murray have already signed similar deals, though theirs can be worth even more – starting at up to 30% of the salary cap, instead of 25% – if they meet certain All-NBA criteria during the 2019/20 season.
Both Siakam and Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri indicated last weekend that they’d like to get something done. The young forward said he loves playing in Toronto, a sentiment reiterated by Charania in his report. Ujiri, meanwhile, stressed that there’s no chance the team will let Siakam get away, even if the two sides don’t reach a deal until next summer.
“He’s somebody we’re definitely going to keep for a long time here,” Ujiri said of Siakam.
After posting modest numbers off the bench in 2017/18, Siakam broke out in a big way last year, averaging 16.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 3.1 APG with a .549/.369/.785 shooting line in 80 games (31.9 MPG). His emergence helped the Raptors claim the first NBA championship in franchise history, and he’s expected to take on an even larger role in his fourth season with Kawhi Leonard no longer on the roster.
According to Charania, team executives around the NBA expect Siakam to take another leap this season. Throw in the fact that the 2020 free agent class is considered subpar and it’s certainly not unreasonable to believe the 25-year-old would secure a maximum-salary offer sheet on the open market if he becomes a restricted free agent next July.
I haven’t watched enough of siakam last season, how did he look being the number one option when Leonard was off the floor?
If I recall correctly lineups with Siakam and Lowry w/o Leonard still had good +/- stats. As good as Siakam was last year, I don’t feel he was good enough to be the unquestioned #1 guy on top 4 playoff team. I think he can still improve and get better.
I do think he is worth a max contract. At the end of the season he had become the #2 for a championship team
The problem that nobody tells is that siakam’s numbers without Kawhi are really good… But most match were with the nba’s weakeast teams
Pay the man
He’s not a max. In fact, having Leonard probably helped. He’s a good player deserving a good contract, but he’s not max material.
He has a Paul George type ceiling I’d say. He can round, with more consistent shooting and handle, into a nice number two option on a playoff team. I feel his best games came when he was able to ‘surprise’ the defense. With Leonard no longer around everyone will be focused on stopping him.
Based on what I’ve seen…he is not a max but everyone seems to be getting paid. Masai hopefully can get this done soon. If Siakam takes a leap this year it’ll make the negotiations all more difficult next summer.
How will it make it more difficult? The maximum salary is still going to be the maximum salary. Wait and see if his season was just a fluke from playing next to Kawhi or if he really can be a #1 option on a winning team. If he was a fluke, don’t give him a max deal. If he handles himself fine, sign him.
Exactly. If you’re going to give him a max contract, there’s no reason to do it now. He could easily get hurt or just not be as good this year.
I remember talking about Siakam on this website the last 1-3 years and people saying “lol who tf is Pascal siakam? Why are you talking about him like he matters??”
What do they gain by maxing him early vs waiting and seeing? They can match any offer.
The risk would be that he signs a shorter-term offer sheet as a free agent.
That’s what happened with Gordon Hayward and the Jazz when they let him reach free agency. Instead of locking him up for five more years, they had to match the Hornets’ four-year offer (with a fourth-year player option) and lost him after three years.
But if Siakam wants to be there, I wouldn’t expect it to play out like that.
That’s for sure Siakam right now it ain’t a max player, needs to improve a lot & be more consistent. Also last year was easy for him in the shadow of Kawhi, we need to see how he does been “the man”, when the defence will target him, easier to shoot & score in a good team than a bad one.
Siakam isn’t a max player but it could be a good bet come 3 years from now he has been constantly improving
Everyone these days thinks they’re a Max player. Is he good, yep, can he get better, absolutely and no he’s not a Max player.
Raptors can wait and see what the market says this summer and match.
Better yet, trade for Wiggins and Jaylin Brown and can have 3 promising young player on Max deals. Now that would be betting on future with chips all in.
Go for it.