The Warriors are one of the top threats to trade for Raptors forward Pascal Siakam at the trade deadline, but there are some complicating factors for a potential deal for Golden State or any other team. As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski explains on a recent TV appearance (Twitter link) and has been reported, Siakam has plenty of say on where he wants to go because he’s in the last year of his deal and any team acquiring him has to be prepared to offer a max contract.
Golden State has to first decide whether they want to commit long-term money to Siakam and then determine what a trade package looks like from there. A player like Andrew Wiggins, believed to be available, is on the books for at least two years after this one for an average of $27.25MM per year but Marc J. Spears notes there’s “not a lot of value for Wiggins right now.” Jonathan Kuminga was previously mentioned as a sticking point in negotiations between the two teams.
Siakam would undoubtedly be a boon for a Warriors team with well-documented struggles and, according to Wojnarowski, Golden State is interested but it’s a “difficult pathway” for the two sides on any deal.
On top of that, other teams don’t have to get desperate to try and acquire Siakam’s services due to his impending free agency. Wojnarowski specifically mentions the Pacers as a team who is engaged with Toronto on Siakam, but who also has the cap flexibility in the offseason to sign him to a deal. While Jarace Walker and Bennedict Mathurin are two young players on Indiana’s roster Toronto general manager Masai Ujiri “would love to get,” Wojnarowski says the Pacers realize they don’t necessarily have to move either due to their upcoming flexibility.
These complicating factors have led some to believe Siakam and Toronto will find a middle ground on an extension that benefits both parties and allows the Raptors to not lose the two-time All-Star in free agency for nothing. However, Wojnarowski says there’s no traction on an extension between the two sides right now.
The Mavericks are another team that makes sense for Siakam and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports said there have been conversations between Dallas and Toronto on a potential deal during a recent podcast appearance (YouTube link via Locked On Mavericks). Fischer says there are some in Dallas who view Siakam as a missing piece and that a big three headlined by him, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving would propel them to the top of the Western Conference standings.