Pascal Siakam Rumors | Hoops Rumors

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.

Raptors Rumors: Herro, Siakam, Point Guard

July 15th, 2023 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors are among the teams that have conveyed “exploratory” interest in Heat guard Tyler Herro as part of the multi-team trade discussions involving the Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Toronto lost Fred VanVleet in free agency, and lottery pick Gradey Dick is just 19 years old and may not be ready for a significant rotation role as a rookie, so it makes sense that the team would be on the lookout for another backcourt player who can make outside shots.

The Raptors’ 33.5% three-point percentage last season ranked 28th in the NBA. The club also possesses the sort of expiring contracts that might appeal more to the Blazers in a Lillard trade than Herro’s four-year deal would.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Given how frequently the Hawks have been frequently linked to Pascal Siakam this offseason, rival executives are curious about how Atlanta might build an offer for the Raptors forward, Scotto says. Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic are currently ineligible to be traded due to recently signed extensions, and Clint Capela likely wouldn’t appeal to a Toronto team that just re-signed Jakob Poeltl. It’s unclear if a package centered around De’Andre Hunter would be strong enough for the Raptors, Scotto notes, especially since the Hawks have limited draft capital to offer after having already traded away multiple future first-round picks.
Although the Magic have been rumored as a possible suitor for Siakam, a league source who spoke to Scotto believes that’s more “noise than substance,” since Orlando has Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner locked into the forward spots and wouldn’t be inclined to move either player.
There was some skepticism among league personnel at the Las Vegas Summer League that the Raptors will ultimately trade Siakam, according to Scotto. “Toronto always does the same thing,” one scout told HoopsHype. “They dangle their guys, and then they pull them back.”
The Raptors are mulling the possibility of adding another point guard in free agency, per Scotto. The team signed Dennis Schröder, who will presumably replace VanVleet in the starting lineup, but doesn’t have a reliable backup at that spot.

Pacers GM Buchanan Talks Brown, Goals For Next Season, More

July 14th, 2023 at 5:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Entering the offseason, the Pacers knew they’d have to take a “unique” angle in order to sign their top free agent target, swingman Bruce Brown, as general manager Chad Buchanan recently explained to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

“What other teams are willing to pay him? And what we were willing to pay him is a big, significant gap,” Buchanan told The Athletic. “We knew that maybe it’s a little more than the market would say, but it was the way we as an organization and as a team have to approach free agency sometimes. We got to be a little creative. We got to maybe go deeper with a pay to get a guy, but it was the guy we wanted.

“We wanted to do what it took to get him, and working with his agents, right at the strike of free agency and talking about ‘OK, where were the other teams at? Where would we need to come in to get Bruce to turn down some of these other options from other more established teams than us?’ We’re a young team, and for Bruce to come in and leave a championship team and some other teams (that) are after him to come to play for a young team, we realize it was gonna probably take a unique way to approach luring him to us.”

Brown almost certainly took less total money to sign with the Pacers, inking a two-year, $45MM contract. However, a short-term deal allows him to hit the open market sooner, which could be a plus. And as Buchanan alluded to, Indiana was willing to give him more money in 2023/24 than rival clubs, and his contract includes a team option in year two, giving both sides flexibility — the Pacers could free up cap space next summer if things don’t work out.

The 26-year-old’s strong defense, willingness to “do the dirty work,” and overall versatility appealed to Indiana, according to Buchanan. The team knows it needs to improve defensively to reach its goal of a postseason berth next season.

“If we can become a top-20 defense, I think we would make a pretty good jump, have a chance to make a good jump. And competing for a playoff spot, I think we’d love to be in that position this year,” Buchanan said as part of a larger quote. “If it’s a play-in, playoff, wherever it is.”

Indiana has been linked to Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, a two-time All-NBA member, a couple times over the past week. However, when Vorkunov asked Buchanan if the Pacers were finished were their offseason moves, he replied that while they’re always looking to improve the roster, they’re not yet ready to push their chips in the middle in a major win-now move.

“I don’t think a team’s done until you’re done,” Buchanan said. “We’ll always try to be opportunistic when we can on anything. But I don’t think we’re like aggressively pursuing anything right now. … Obviously, some big names out there … could get moved still this offseason, and if that filters down and impacts other teams, if it impacts us, we’ll consider it. But, if it doesn’t, we’re also happy with this group now.

“We’re not going to rush things to try to jump and go all in right now. I don’t think that’s where we’re at. We don’t have that. We’re not one player away from being a championship-caliber team. I think we realize it takes time and it takes guys developing and growing.”

Central Notes: Bucks, Siakam, Pacers, Carter, LaVine

July 13th, 2023 at 10:29pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After opting to retain their core free agents this summer and also make some cheap veteran signings, the Bucks are deftly navigating their present while trying to maintain some longer-term flexibility, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“There is, without a doubt, an intentionality to try make sure that we maximize where we’re at right now with this team and always having an eye toward the future to try to figure out what the next version of this team looks like,” Milwaukee GM Jon Horst told Owczarski.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s major changes to the roster [upcoming] or there is or there isn’t, it just means that we gotta have an eye toward that and continue to look at how we’re going to build this two, three, four, five years down the road because the whole goal has always been to sustain our success over a long period of time,” Horst continued.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

The rebuilding Pacers theoretically have the attributes to trade for Raptors All-Star power forward Pascal Siakam, but Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star wonders if the negatives of such a move would outweigh the positives, specifically with regard to how much the team would possibly need to surrender to Toronto.
Chicago native Jevon Carter is hoping to help elevate his new team, his hometown Bulls, both on the hardwood and beyond it this season, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. To wit, Carter is already prepping to host a local youth camp this weekend. “Anytime I dreamed about going to the NBA as a kid, it was always in a Chicago Bulls uniform,” Carter told Johnson. “So getting that call and hearing, ‘Congratulations, you’re going to be a Chicago Bull,’ like, I don’t even know what to say. My feelings are all over the place.”
Maximum-salaried Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine does not believe he will be traded by Chicago in the near future, per Ryan Taylor of NBC Sports Chicago. “I always rep my city whichever team I’m playing for to the best,” LaVine said. “And Chicago’s loved me and called me one of their own since I’ve been there. I don’t see anything happening anytime soon. But if it does, Chicago always has my love.”

Atlantic Notes: Siakam, Wieskamp, Anunoby, Harden, Walsh

July 13th, 2023 at 6:01pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Raptors forward Pascal Siakam is still a potential trade candidate for Toronto, but the club is taking its time and showing no urgency to make a move, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star.

There’s “more smoke than fire” around Siakam, according to Star, who says the Raptors do not feel a particular obligation to move their veteran star, who at present appears happy to remain with the only NBA team he’s ever known.

The 6’9″ forward submitted his most prolific scoring season yet on a middling 41-41 club in 2022/23, averaging 24.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 5.8 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.5 BPG.

Smith adds that the $1.9MM non-guaranteed contract of sharpshooter Joe Wieskamp is due to be fully guaranteed Monday, but predicts that Wieskamp is more likely be released than retained.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks, who boast one of the best collections of assets in the league, may have the inclination and the pieces to make a trade for Raptors 3-and-D swingman OG Anunoby, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Anunoby was one of the most coveted players to not be moved during this past season’s trade deadline. The 2022/23 All-Defensive Second Teamer averaged 16.8 PPG on .476/.387/.838 shooting splits, 5.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.9 SPG across his 67 available contests last year.
Although rival front offices believe the Sixers are hoping to hold on to star point guard James Harden, a source close to the 2018 MVP says he still wants to be traded for the third time in three seasons, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Celtics rookie forward Jordan Walsh has been solid enough during his Summer League run with Boston that it’s conceivable he could eventually slot into the team’s rotation as a possible Grant Williams replacement this year, opines Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Williams, of course, was sent to Dallas in a three-team sign-and-trade earlier this week.

Trade Rumors: Harden, Bogdanovic, Mavs, Zion, Blazers

July 12th, 2023 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Although James Harden hasn’t backed off the trade request he made in June, there’s no indication that the Sixers are on the verge of dealing the former MVP, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said during an appearance on NBA Today on Tuesday (YouTube link).

“(Harden and the Sixers) have spoken again, and he still reiterated he wants to be traded,” Shelburne said. “Now, this isn’t a demand, it’s a request. I think the Sixers have said, ‘Okay, we will try to trade you,’ but there is no hurry to do this. I think the Sixers understand that they have the leverage here. James has picked up his option… He’s going to be a free agent after this season, so at some point he needs to play, whether that’s in Philadelphia or elsewhere.”

The situation in Philadelphia, as Shelburne portrays it, isn’t acrimonious. While Harden would prefer to play elsewhere, it’s not necessarily a sure thing that he’ll be wearing another uniform when the 2023/24 season begins.

“There is a sense that if they can give it some time – and he’s cool with his teammates, he’s been talking to Joel Embiid, he’s been talking to Patrick Beverley, P.J. Tucker – that eventually maybe those fences can be mended, and there is a path to reconciliation with James Harden,” Shelburne said. “But for now, he has reiterated his trade request.”

Here are a few more trade-related items from around the NBA:

In the latest episode of his Howdy Partners podcast (YouTube link; hat tip to The Smoking Cuban), ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said he has “heard some rumblings” about the Mavericks circling back to Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic, who was linked to Dallas prior to the draft. MacMahon cautions that he’s not sure the Mavs have the assets to land Bogdanovic, given Detroit’s high asking price, and suggests Dallas’ priority may be to trade for a starting-caliber center.
According to Jake Madison of Locked on Pelicans (Twitter link), Chris Haynes of TNT said on a TV broadcast last Friday that league executives got the sense this offseason that Pelicans forward Zion Williamson could be had “for the right situation and the right package.” However, sources have told Zach Lowe of ESPN (Insider link) that New Orleans wasn’t prepared to “pivot away” from Williamson on draft day, and ESPN’s Andrew Lopez said in the latest Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that the Pelicans’ trade offers for the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in this year’s draft were heavily based around future picks, not players.
Within that same ESPN.com story, Lowe says he hasn’t heard compelling evidence that a “sensible” trade was available for the Trail Blazers with the No. 3 overall pick last month. The Nets never showed any interest in giving up Mikal Bridges for a package based around the No. 3 pick and Anfernee Simons, according to Lowe, who says the Heat “chuckled” at the idea of Portland asking for Bam Adebayo. The Raptors also weren’t ready to move off of Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby as of draft day, Lowe adds, though it’s unclear if the Blazers would have moved the No. 3 pick in a deal for either player.

Pacers Pursuing Pascal Siakam

July 10th, 2023 at 3:49pm CST by Rory Maher

There has been increased talk around the NBA about the Raptors moving Pascal Siakam, with the Pacers viewed as a “legitimate trade contender” for the star forward, league sources tell Marc Stein at Substack.

The Hawks are another team that has been repeatedly linked to Siakam, Stein notes, and other unknown teams are likely in the mix as well.

Stein’s read on the situation in Toronto is that the Raptors want to give Scottie Barnes and OG Anunoby a bigger opportunity to expand their offensive games, particularly with Fred VanVleet‘s departure to Houston. Siakam’s heavy usage rate seems to stand in the way of that happening, according to Stein, who points out that Siakam (29) is several years older than Barnes (21) and Anunoby (25).

After a weekend at Summer League, Stein views a trade as a “far more likely outcome” than a contract extension. As of last week, Siakam and the Raptors had yet to formally meet to discuss a possible contract extension.

Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca was first to report the Pacers’ interest in Siakam. He also wrote that the veteran’s absence at Summer League could be viewed as a sign that Siakam might be dealt, with the Raptors hoping to find a deal sooner rather than later.

A two-time All-NBA member, Siakam reportedly doesn’t want to play anywhere but Toronto. He averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 71 games (37.4 minutes) last season, with the points and assists per game representing career highs.

Raptors Notes: Siakam, Anunoby, Dick, Wieskamp

July 10th, 2023 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Pascal Siakam‘s absence from the Raptors‘ Summer League games could be an indication that his time with the franchise is close to an end, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Las Vegas is typically a gathering place for established NBA players during Summer League action, but Siakam has stayed away amid rumors that he might be dealt soon and Toronto’s refusal to engage in extension talks.

The Hawks have been linked to Siakam and the Pacers have contacted the Raptors as well, sources tell Grange. Toronto officials are still exploring what they might be able to get in return for the 29-year-old forward, but they would prefer to close a deal fairly quickly, according to Grange.

Grange adds that even if Siakam is moved, it won’t be the start of a complete rebuild. Trading Siakam won’t make the Raptors any more likely to part with OG Anunoby, and sources tell Grange that teams who inquire about Anunoby shouldn’t expect to have their calls returned.

There’s more on the Raptors:

Gradey Dick hasn’t lived up to his reputation as a shooter during his first two Summer League outings, but he’s been able to contribute in other ways, observes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. The lottery pick is just 8-for-25 in Las Vegas, but he’s an active cutter and rebounder and seems to know how to get to the basketball. “He’s got an all-around game. I know he came in as a shooter.” Summer League coach Pat Delany said. “That’s what he does. It’s a strength of his. But I also think, too, there are other things that he does offensively as well — the passing, the cutting, the movement without the ball.”
After losing Fred VanVleet with nothing in return, the Raptors have to make sure they’re not in the same position with their free agents next summer, Koreen adds in a separate story. He points out that Siakam and Anunoby will be two of the top names on the 2024 market if they aren’t traded or extended before then.
Joe Wieskamp is literally fighting for his job at Summer League, notes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. The 23-year-old swingman, who signed with Toronto in February, recently agreed to move the guarantee date for his $1.927MM salary for next season from June 29 to July 18. “They saw me throughout the season,” Wieskamp said. “I was there for three months, playing with the G League, in practices with (the Raptors) every day, even though I didn’t get too many opportunities with the Raptors on the main floor. But they’ve seen my game a lot. It’s just an accumulation of things and they just want to keep seeing more of me. I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing.”