Pascal Siakam Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Scotto’s Latest: Bufkin, Wizards, Payton, Las Vegas

September 13th, 2023 at 9:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks tried to trade for Raptors forward Pascal Siakam this summer, but they weren’t willing to part with first-round pick Kobe Bufkin, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Atlanta’s offers focused on De’Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin and draft picks, but Bufkin wasn’t included, sources tell Scotto.

Toronto considered selecting Bufkin with the 13th pick before opting for Gradey Dick, Scotto adds. He also hears that Hawks coach Quin Snyder is a huge proponent of Bufkin, who is coming off an impressive sophomore season at Michigan.

Scotto notes that Atlanta’s options will expand when Bogdan Bogdanovic becomes trade-eligible on Saturday. The veteran swingman, who was named to the All-Star 5 at the World Cup, is under contract for $68MM over the next four years, including a $16MM team option for 2026/27.

Scotto offers more inside information from around the league:

The Wizards aren’t looking to make a move right away, but they expect to get trade offers for Danilo Gallinari, Landry Shamet and Delon Wright. Scotto points out that Gallinari at $6.8MM and Wright at $8.2MM both have expiring contracts. Shamet is signed for three more years, but his only guaranteed money is $10.25MM for 2023/24. Sources tell Scotto that Gallinari hasn’t engaged in buyout talks with the Wizards and is focused on making a comeback after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. The Hornets considered making a trade offer for Wright before targeting Frank Ntilikina instead, Scotto adds, and league executives told him that Washington could probably get a second-round pick or two in exchange for the veteran guard.
Elfrid Payton recently had workouts with the Timberwolves and Hornets, sources told Scotto. Payton spent part of last season in the G League, then signed to play in Puerto Rico in late March. He hasn’t been in the NBA since playing 50 games with the Suns during the 2021/22 season.
When Las Vegas hosts the semifinals and finals of the in-season tournament in December, the response could go a long way toward securing an expansion team for the city, multiple executives told Scotto. The NBA has been expanding its presence in Las Vegas in recent years with the annual Summer League and the G League Showcase. Seattle and Las Vegas are widely considered the leading contenders for the next round of expansion.

Atlantic Notes: Siakam, Porzingis, Wilson, Knicks

August 16th, 2023 at 9:28pm CST by Rory Maher

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported last week that the Raptors and All-Star forward Pascal Siakam have yet to seriously engage in negotiations on a possible contract extension.

Should Toronto offer him a max extension, which would start at 30% of the 2024/25 salary cap? Eric Koreen of The Athletic weighs the pros and cons of a new deal for Siakam, who is entering the final year of his contract.

While he believes Siakam is worthy of a max deal and that extending him makes more sense than losing him for nothing, Koreen wonders if a lengthy extension would leave the Raptors stuck in the middle again in the short term. However, if Siakam continues to play well, an extension could boost his trade value down the line, since he would be on a long-term contract instead of an expiring deal, Koreen adds.

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

Jay King and Josh Robbins of The Athletic examine how Kristaps Porzingis will fit with the Celtics. Robbins points out that the Wizards had a good deal of success with a two-big lineup featuring Porzingis and Daniel Gafford, which could be beneficial for Boston’s frontcourt, since Al Horford and Robert Williams are more well-rounded players than Gafford is. Having Porzingis as another weapon alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could make the Celtics’ second-ranked offense even more potent in ’23/24, according to King. Both writers state that the biggest question mark surrounding the acquisition is Porzingis’ health — in case you missed it, the Latvian big man recently revealed he’s dealing with plantar fasciitis, though the Celtics expect him to be ready for training camp.
Nets second-rounder Jalen Wilson was a star in college last season for Kansas, but he knows he won’t have the ball in his hands very often entering his rookie season, he tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (subscriber link). “College for sure, was different,” said Wilson. “I had the ball in my hands a lot. I had to do a lot of things for my team. Take a lot of tough shots. Now, I think as I showed in Summer League and moving forward in the NBA, I won’t have to take those tough shots at the buzzer. I won’t have to take contested shots over double teams. This isn’t Kansas. This is the Brooklyn Nets. So I feel like the load being less, my numbers (efficiency) will increase. And I feel like I showed that in Summer League. And I’m excited to continue to show it.” The young forward, who is on a two-way deal, was named to the All-Summer League Second Team last month, Bondy notes.
Fred Katz of The Athletic covers a number of Knicks-related topics in his latest mailbag, including where they might finish in the East during the regular season, their most likely trade candidates, and the team’s power forward depth. As far as trade candidates go, Katz believes Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are the top three options. Fournier is an obvious one since he doesn’t want to return after being benched most of last season, and his expiring deal could be useful for salary-matching purposes. Barrett is mostly included for financial reasons, particularly if the Knicks want to trade for a star. League sources tell The Athletic that Quickley’s name has popped up in trade discussions this summer, though the Knicks have placed a high value on the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up. Quickley is eligible for a rookie scale extension, Katz notes, but there doesn’t appear to be any rush to get a deal done.

Raptors Notes: Anunoby, Barnes, Siakam, Achiuwa, Lillard

August 10th, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors reportedly received offers of multiple first-round picks for OG Anunoby at the February trade deadline, but the “upside value” of those picks is “believed to have been low,” according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Anunoby made his first All-Defensive appearance in 2022/23. Still just 26 years old, he led the NBA in steals per game last season (1.9) while averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists on a .476/.387/.838 shooting line in 67 contests (35.6 minutes).

However, Anunoby’s trade value is likely mitigated by the fact that he can become a free agent in 2024 if he turns down his $19.9MM player option for ’24/25, which is basically a lock. His floor for a new deal could be the five-year, $160MM contract Jerami Grant signed to remain with Portland.

The Raptors have reportedly been unwilling to take calls on Anunoby this summer, so there’s no sign they’re trying to move him right now.

Here’s more from Toronto:

With Dennis Schröder as the only proven point guard on the roster, the Raptors will likely lean more heavily on Scottie Barnes for play-making duties, Charania adds. The ’21/22 Rookie of the Year averaged 4.8 assists against 2.0 turnovers last season.
In a mailbag for The Athletic, Eric Koreen states that while top basketball executive Masai Ujiri has the “reputation of a big deal-maker,” Koreen considers Ujiri’s normal mode of operation as being closer to “conservative opportunism.” In addition to highly valuing their own players, that may explain why the Raptors haven’t made further roster moves, despite fans clamoring for the front office to pick a path.
Why didn’t the Raptors accept the Hawks’ reported offer for Pascal Siakam? According to Koreen, they simply think he’s worth more than that, and will have more value to either Toronto or another team on a new contract, as opposed to his expiring deal.
Precious Achiuwa is the player on Toronto’s roster most likely to have a breakout season, Koreen writes. He also explains why a Damian Lillard trade between Toronto and Portland wouldn’t make much sense for the Raptors or the Trail Blazers.

Hawks Have Reportedly Offered Hunter, Griffin, Draft Compensation For Siakam

August 8th, 2023 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks have been the strongest suitor to date for star forward Pascal Siakam, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports that Atlanta has offered the Raptors a package that includes forward De’Andre Hunter, swingman AJ Griffin, and draft compensation in exchange for Siakam.

The Raptors have resisted the Hawks’ overtures and are “believed to have upped the price on any possible deal at each turn,” Charania says.

As Charania outlines in his story, it has become increasingly rare for a player of Siakam’s caliber to enter a contract year without some sort of clarity on his long-term future. However, he and the Raptors have yet to seriously engage in negotiations on a potential contract extension, and the 29-year-old also hasn’t requested a trade, sources tell The Athletic.

Siakam has been considered a trade candidate since well before February’s deadline due to his contract situation and his positional and skill-set overlap with rising star Scottie Barnes, the 2022 Rookie of the Year.

Charania suggests that Siakam’s trade value has been limited to some extent by the fact that the two-time All-NBA forward has privately expressed a desire to remain in Toronto and an unwillingness to sign an extension with any team that acquires him.

Siakam is currently eligible for a maximum-salary extension worth up to 30% of the cap — earning another All-NBA nod in 2024 would make him eligible for a super-max contract that starts at 35% of the cap, but he would only be able to sign such a deal with the Raptors. A trade would make him ineligible for a super-max contract.

Atlanta isn’t the only club to express interest in Siakam, Charania notes, but it doesn’t appear that any other suitor has made significant headway with the Raptors. The Pacers are among the other clubs previously reported to be interested.

For what it’s worth, the Hawks’ offer for Siakam as described by Charania appears incomplete, since Hunter’s and Griffin’s combined salaries ($23.8MM) wouldn’t be nearly enough to match Siakam’s $37.9MM cap hit for 2023/24.

There has been some chatter about the possibility of Atlanta sending Clint Capela ($20.6MM) to a third team – like the Mavericks – as part of a trade for Siakam, but such a structure would require that third team to send at least one player to Toronto. Dallas doesn’t have a big expiring contract to close that salary gap and would likely have to include some combination of Tim Hardaway Jr. ($17.9MM), Richaun Holmes ($12MM), and JaVale McGee ($5.7MM), each of whom has two years left on his respective deal.

As for the Hawks’ movable draft assets, they owe two of their own future first-round picks to San Antonio as part of the Dejounte Murray trade, but they could offer Sacramento’s lottery-protected 2024 first-rounder as well as their own first-rounder in either 2029 or 2030.

For now, trade talks between Toronto and Atlanta are “at a complete pause,” according to Charania, who says the Hawks are “fully prepared” to enter the 2023/24 season with their current roster.

Community Shootaround: Should Raptors Trade Pascal Siakam?

August 7th, 2023 at 4:18pm CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors find themselves at a crossroads entering the 2023/24 season. The same is true of All-Star forward Pascal Siakam.

Despite everyone around the league keying in on Toronto as a possible seller at the February trade deadline, the team instead decided to make a win-now move, trading away a 2024 first-round pick to land center Jakob Poeltl. The Raptors played better down the stretch with the Austrian big man in the lineup, but they ultimately finished just 41-41 and were quickly eliminated from the play-in tournament.

Toronto lost guard Fred VanVleet — Siakam’s longtime running mate — to Houston in free agency, replacing him with Dennis Schröder. While Schröder is a solid player, most would consider him a pretty significant downgrade from VanVleet. And Toronto’s other notable offseason moves — signing Jalen McDaniels and drafting Gradey Dick — are unlikely to have a major impact on the standings in ’23/24.

Siakam, meanwhile, is entering the final year of his contract, and the Raptors won’t want to lose him for nothing like they did with VanVleet. The Hawks have been repeatedly mentioned as a trade suitor for the two-time All-NBA member this offseason. The Pacers and Trail Blazers have been cited at times as well, though Portland seems an unlikely destination after Damian Lillard‘s trade request.

Siakam reportedly doesn’t want to play anywhere but Toronto. He’s coming on off an excellent season in ’22/23, averaging 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 71 games (37.4 minutes), with the points and assists per game representing career highs.

The 29-year-old is a long, versatile play-maker who isn’t a great shooter — similar to ’21/22 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. OG Anunoby is another rangy forward on the roster who’s entering the final year of his deal, but the Raptors reportedly aren’t open to moving the All-Defensive Second Team member.

The decision to move Siakam or not certainly isn’t a simple one for the Raptors. Siakam, the ’18/19 Most Improved Player, has blossomed into a legitimate star, and the Raptors haven’t had much success landing top-tier free agents. There’s a real chance they could give him a contract extension if they don’t deal him.

If they move Siakam to free up bigger roles for Barnes and Anunoby, what would a return package look like? Masai Ujiri hasn’t shown any inclination to entertain a rebuild in the past, so draft picks are unlikely to be of much interest. Perhaps young players who would better fit the roster could make sense, but who can meet that ask?

We want to know what you think. Should the Raptors trade Siakam? Should they extend him? Or should they wait until the trade deadline or next offseason to resolve the matter? Head to the comments and share your thoughts. We look forward to your input.

Atlantic Notes: Udofia, Raptors, White, Porzingis, Knicks

August 1st, 2023 at 5:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate, have named Mfon Udofia as head coach, according to a league press release. Brooklyn’s intent to hire Udofia for the G League club was previously reported.

“We’re pleased to welcome Mfon to the Nets family,” Long Island Nets GM J.R. Holden said. “His passion for the game and dynamic coaching style have prepared him to lead our development team on Long Island. Our organization is excited to support Mfon and his staff as they lead the next generation of talent this upcoming season.”

Udofia spent last season as an assistant coach with the Ontario Clippers in the G League. He had prior stints with several other NBAGL franchises.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors may not be done dealing, but The Athletic’s Eric Koreen examines how the rotation might shake out if the roster remains unchanged. Koreen believes either Pascal Siakam or Scottie Barnes must be on the court at all times for play-making purposes and either OG Anunoby or Gary Trent Jr. need to be on the floor for shooting purposes. He also doesn’t see lottery pick Gradey Dick as a member of a nine-man rotation, given the team’s other commitments.
With Derrick White the undisputed starting point man with the Celtics, The Athletic’s Jared Weiss breaks down how a pick-and-roll partnership between White and Kristaps Porzingis can unlock the team’s full offensive potential.
Miles McBride, Jericho Sims or Isaiah Roby could force their way into the Knicks’ rotation, The Athletic’s Fred Katz writes, though if coach Tom Thibodeau goes with his usual nine-man rotation, minutes will be hard to come by for that trio. Katz looks at various lineup combinations and which starter might play with the second unit when the usual four reserves are on the floor.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks’ Roster, Bridges, VanVleet, Brown

July 25th, 2023 at 5:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks have 12 players on fully or partially guaranteed deals, leaving at least two spots potentially open for free agents. They could look at a variety of players to fill those slots, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic. Hamidou Diallo, Terence Davis and Taj Gibson are some of the available players that could provide depth in areas of need, in Katz’ view.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Nets forward Mikal Bridges is thrilled he was asked to play for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, he told Paul George on Podcast P (hat tip to Eurohoops.net). “(Team USA head coach) Steve Kerr brought up the idea to me, and I was like, hell yeah, I’m here, just please let me know. I kind of had the idea there, and then I ended up going to Brooklyn and playing really well,” Bridges said. “After that, when I saw him again and we talked about it, I was really ready for it. So, no, definitely, there was nothing holding me back from that, unless I had some injury or something happen, but no, I was ready. I’m very excited.”
Fred VanVleet made 47% of the Raptors’ pull-up 3-pointers and took 42% of their pull-up attempts last season. So how will Toronto replace that element of its offensive game? The Athletic’s Eric Koreen explores that topic, stating that Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby could all take on more responsibility, whether creating those shots or becoming more effective at them.
The trade kicker in Jaylen Brown‘s reported super-max extension with the Celtics is less than the 15% max, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe tweets. Brown will also be on a six-month pay schedule each season during his new deal, rather than having the payments spread out over 12 months.

Atlantic Notes: Chandler, Siakam, Anonoby, Harden, Harris

July 22nd, 2023 at 9:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kennedy Chandler is hoping for a two-way contract offer from the Nets after getting extensive playing time with their Summer League team, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Chandler averaged 14.0 points, 5.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game in Las Vegas, but he did little to ease concerns about his outside shot. He was just 2-of-14 from beyond the arc during Summer League after shooting 13.3% on three-pointers with the Grizzlies last season.

Armoni Brooks and second-round pick Jalen Wilson hold two of Brooklyn’s two-way spots, but there’s an opening after RaiQuan Gray, who was in line for the other one, was waived this week. Chandler is expected to receive consideration, according to Lewis, but his fate might depend on who else becomes available.

Chandler was an intriguing prospect with Memphis a year ago after a strong season at Tennessee and a 41 1/2-inch leap at the draft combine. However, he was waived on the final weekend of the season when the Grizzlies promoted Kenneth Lofton Jr. to a standard contract. Chandler has guaranteed money for two more years, but he doesn’t want to face the end of his NBA career at age 20.

“That’s the whole point of me playing this summer,” he said. “I want to play every single game, kill, dominate whoever is in front of me. And not just worry about myself, honestly. You just worry about doing what I can do; then the rest will come.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors are exploring the market for Pascal Siakam, but they aren’t interested in trading OG Anunoby, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Koreen confirms that Toronto talked to Charlotte and Portland about moving Siakam in a deal for the No. 2 or No. 3 pick, but never got close to a trade with either team. He adds that if Raptors officials don’t like the offers they get for Siakam, they’re likely to begin extension talks sometime this summer.
As Sixers guard James Harden waits for a trade, he has removed any mention of the team or Philadelphia from his social media accounts, per Dhani Joseph of The New York Post.
Sixers owner Josh Harris felt “humbled and awed” after his group’s purchase of the NFL’s Washington Commanders for a record $6.05 billion was finalized this week, writes John Keim of ESPN. “I feel an awesome responsibility to the city of Washington,” said Harris, who grew up in the area. “I know what I’ve got to do. It comes down to winning. It’s on me and on our ownership group to deliver. That’s what we’re going to do.”

Southwest Notes: Capela, Mavericks, Cissoko, Grizzlies

July 17th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks are still in the market for a veteran center and would like to acquire Clint Capela from the Hawks as the third team in a potential Pascal Siakam deal, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column.

Atlanta has been pursuing the Toronto forward in trade talks, but an offer centered around De’Andre Hunter may not be enough. The Hawks could be willing to include Capela, who has two years left on his contract at a total of about $43MM, but the Raptors don’t need another high-priced center after re-signing Jakob Poeltl. Stein suggests that Dallas could either try to facilitate the deal or work out a separate trade with Toronto involving Capela.

The Mavs attempted to acquire Capela from the Hawks in June, according to Stein, but they refused to part with Josh Green along with the 10th pick in the draft.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Summer League coach Jared Dudley was impressed with both of the Mavericks‘ rookies, grading Dereck Lively II a “seven out of 10” and Olivier-Maxence Prosper a “nine out of 10,” per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “Lively will get there. He has potential. He’s going to be the starting center of the Mavericks one day,” Dudley said. “O-Max is right there. The three-and-D guys, it’s easier to transition. Offense, he’s a bull going at you. He has to work on his decision-making a little when he gets in the paint. But myself and the Dallas Mavericks are happy with what they did.”
Spurs rookie Sidy Cissoko‘s ability to attack the basket has stood out during Summer League, observes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. The French forward prepared for the NBA by spending last season in the G League. “I didn’t change my game,” he said. “In my (pre-draft) workouts, I was doing the same thing almost every time. I have this in my game, so I just repeat it over and over. If it is still working, I will not change it.”
Jake LaRavia, David Roddy and Ziaire Williams are all possibilities to be the Grizzlies‘ starting small forward when the season begins, according to Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. Memphis didn’t bring in anyone to replace Dillon Brooks after he signed with Houston, so there’s not an obvious choice for the position. Cole adds that once Ja Morant returns from his suspension, he may start alongside Marcus Smart in the backcourt with Desmond Bane sliding to small forward.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, G. Williams, Stevens, Raptors

July 17th, 2023 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

Joel Embiid has shaken up Sixers fans with comments he made during an interview at the Uninterrupted Film Festival in Los Angeles, tweets Derek Bodner of The Daily Six. The reigning MVP talked about his desire to capture an NBA title, but he raised the possibility that it may not happen in Philadelphia (video link).

“I just want to win a championship. Whatever it takes,” Embiid said. “I don’t know where that’s gonna be, whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else, I just want to have a chance to accomplish that.”

The 29-year-old center hasn’t advanced past the second round of the playoffs in his nine years with the Sixers, including a seven-game loss to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. The team’s status as a legitimate title contender may be in jeopardy in the wake of James Harden‘s trade request.

The Knicks have been repeatedly mentioned as a potential landing spot for Embiid if he ever decides to ask the Sixers for a trade. He’s under contract for three more seasons and has a $59MM player option for 2026/27.

Whether it was his intention or not, Embiid’s comments sent a clear message to the Sixers front office that they have to handle the Harden situation correctly, observes Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. Management can’t afford to take a step back this season, knowing that its best player might be starting to consider other options.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Grant Williams tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe that he began to realize his future was somewhere else when he and the Celtics failed to reach an agreement on a rookie scale extension last summer. “I kind of had perspective,” said Williams, who was shipped to the Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal. “Even after the season and before the Kristaps (Porzingis) trade, I had some understanding of what I was trying to accomplish in free agency, and where I saw myself moving forward.”
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens landed one first-round pick, six second-rounders and a second-round swap this summer, but he’s not intending to use most of them, Himmelsbach adds in another Boston Globe story. “The coach in me would tell you I don’t have a ton of interest in picking eight second-round picks,” Stevens said. “But eventually those are trade chips. Those are potentially good second-round picks that you can use.”
Rival teams are skeptical that the Raptors really plan to part with Pascal Siakam or any of their other top players, Marc Stein states in his latest Substack column. However, Stein said that after being at Summer League, he got the “distinct impression” that Toronto will explore making another significant move or two before training camp.