All-NBA Raptors power forward Pascal Siakam enjoyed what in many ways was a career year in 2022/23, averaging highs in points (24.2 PPG) and assists (5.8 APG), plus 7.8 RPG and 0.9 SPG across 71 contests. All of which might precisely be why it’s time to trade him, opines Eric Koreen of The Athletic.
If Siakam, 29, makes an All-NBA Team in 2023/24, he would be eligible for a new super-max deal as a free agent that would pay him 35% of the new salary cap. As Koreen notes, Siakam has already proven that he can function well as one of the key contributors on a title team.
While Siakam has emerged as a solid play-maker and defender, Koreen writes that he may be miscast Toronto’s highest-usage player. Given that both the clubs with the second and third pick in this year’s draft could be open to trading those selections, Koreen sees now as being an optimal time to move Siakam, before he becomes significantly pricier.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks have a variety of trade assets, between their intriguing young players and draft equity. Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News takes stock of several possible stars whom New York could target, including Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid, Trail Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, and more.
- The Nets have already auditioned an abundance of NBA hopefuls ahead of Thursday’s draft, but Santa Clara’s Brandin Podziemski is the highest-ranked of the bunch, and could fit in well with what the new-look Nets are striving to build, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link).
- The impending new CBA, which has yet to be officially ratified, could force a bit of a roster crunch for the Celtics, writes Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. As Forsberg writes, Boston projects to be well over the new second tax apron next season, especially if Grant Williams is retained, which is why he believes the team could look to move on from one of its three pricier point guards this summer. In a follow-up article, Forsberg unpacks how just retaining the same personnel as last season could get prohibitively costly in a hurry.
Giving players like siakim 50ms is there reason why the New CBA is the way it is
I mean, he was the second best player on a championship team. He’s twice the player a Jerami Grant is.
Only thing I want for my birthday is Randle traded to Dallas ……. Please
For who? Better send him for siakam or mikal. Thibs always love a player who can play defense. I love thibs, hope he can get the ring. But he cant get that with this knicks team.
Dallas is his home. It’s probably the best place for him. He’d be at his best behavior there.
The issue with the super max is that there is no way to pay guys in between the max and super max. Its basically when they qualify for that, you decide if that player is worth that extra jump if you want to keep them…with the new CBA, I think that should be changed so it doesnt effect certain level of players mo eye the way it feels like this new CBA will
You have to sign in most cases. So you won’t lose them. Then later try and move them. It’s what most have been doing it seems. Wizards got nothing for Beal ….
If a player qualifies for the super-max, he can be paid between his standard max and the super-max — it’s not common, but the Jazz did it when they extended Gobert.
Really? So then the issue is probably optics, or just that those players feel as though if they qualify for it, that means they deserve it, and then play hardball with that leverage…I just think that is something that will have to be different moving forward
Really kind of shocked Knicks weren’t in on Beal. Stories are they looked at him before last yrs trade deadline. But nothing happened. Considering what they got for him. I would think it was worth a look.
Maybe Knicks have something else working. I sure hope so. DeR would look good at SG.
Knicks have no one except Brunson That anyone would want to rest are trash
You’re acting as if the wizards got anybody back in return though.