Pascal Siakam

The Indiana Pacers have reportedly been involved in trade discussions with the Toronto Raptors regarding star forward Pascal Siakam, and it doesn't sound like they're worried about losing Siakam at the end of the season if they land him.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Pacers "feel pretty strongly" that if the trade is completed, they will be able to re-sign Siakam, who is an impending free agent.

Charania and Sam Amick reported on Tuesday that the Pacers are "actively engaged in trade talks" with the Raptors centered around Siakam for a package that includes veteran wing Bruce Brown Jr., other salaries and three first-round draft picks.

Toronto has also fielded interest from other teams regarding Siakam, with the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks reportedly among those exploring the possibility of acquiring the two-time All-Star.

However, Siakam is making $38 million this season in the final year of his contract, so the uncertainty surrounding whether or not he will re-sign has caused some teams to hesitate in their pursuit of him. Amick reported last week that the Kings "have very little—if any—optimism" about potentially re-signing Siakam this summer if they were to acquire him before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

That leaves the Pacers in the driver's seat, as the Raptors are unlikely to receive a better offer than Indiana's three first-round picks.

The Pacers are hoping to find a star to pair with rising point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who leads the league with an average of 12.5 assists this season. Adding a player of Siakam's caliber would put another reliable option next to Haliburton and help Indiana potentially end its three-year playoff drought.

The Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks "have expressed exploratory interest" Toronto Raptors' star Pascal Siakam, according to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

However, The Athletic reported that the Raptors have "actively engaged in trade talks" with the Indiana Pacers for Siakam in "a package that includes Bruce Brown Jr., other salaries and three first-round draft picks."

Per Charania and Amick, the Sacramento Kings had also "been among other suitors for Siakam, but decided to pull out of conversations in recent weeks," while talks between the Raptors and Pacers "have gained steam in recent days."

Siakam, 29, is one of the top names on the trade market heading into the Feb. 8 deadline, alongside Chicago Bulls' star Zach LaVine and Atlanta Hawks' guard Dejounte Murray, among others.

Because Siakam is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer—and because the Raptors are rebuilding their roster around a young core of Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett—Toronto has made him available, and plenty of contenders would benefit from adding his 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

The Warriors are scuffling at just 18-22 on the season, and the aging core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green may not have many postseason runs left in the tank. Acquiring Siakam and his $37.8 million contract would likely require sending Chris Paul ($30.8 million), Jonathan Kuminga ($6 million) and likely draft capital the opposite way but could help revitalize a sinking ship.

It's not a home-run deal for the Warriors—they would risk trading an up-and-coming, 3-and-D wing in Kuminga for a player who might only be a short-term rental. And it would likely send Andrew Wiggins to the bench unless another deal followed, which could create some bruised egos along the way.

As for Dallas, adding another scoring threat behind Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving would make sense, though whether the 24-17 Mavericks would have the sort of deal Toronto is looking is harder to say.

Perhaps a mix of veteran contracts and promising young players like Dereck Lively II, Jaden Hardy and/or Josh Green would be enough to get a deal done. At the moment, however, it appears as though the Pacers are going to win the Siakam sweepstakes.

Despite reports of Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam being unwilling to agree to a long-term contract extension with the Sacramento Kings, the team still remains interested in trading for him, according to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.

"My understanding is that the Kings would still trade for Siakam even without the assurance that he'd re-sign, but his lack of commitment certainly changes the assets they'd be willing to give up alongside Harrison Barnes and Kevin Huerter," O'Connor wrote.

The Kings and Raptors were engaged in trade discussions regarding the two-time All-Star for a "hot second" before talks ended, via HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. Siakam reportedly has no desire to head to Sacramento and doesn't see the team as a "long-term" fit, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.

The Kings have been actively searching for a third star to pair alongside De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, although general manager Monte McNair has been hesitant to include the team's premier assets in trade talks. ESPN's Zach Lowe revealed on Friday that Sacramento has "zero interest in discussing" sharpshooting forward Keegan Murray as part of a potential deal.

Due to the front office's insistence on keeping a young player such as Murray out of trades combined with Siakam's reported unwillingness to stay with the team beyond the 2023-24 season, opposing front offices could end up outbidding the Kings in talks with Raptors team president Masai Ujiri (per O'Connor).

Despite the 29-year-old performing admirably throughout his 38 starts this season, Toronto could still move off the remainder of his contract and pivot towards building the roster around former Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes as well as recent trade acquisitions Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett.

This season, Siakam has averaged 22.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from three.

Sitting at 23-16, the Kings likely aren't in a rush to add another marquee player ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline. However, the addition of Siakam could help Sacramento avoid another disappointing first-round exit in the playoffs.

Some within the Dallas Mavericks organization reportedly believe Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam could be a perfect fit alongside guards Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving.

During an appearance this week on the Locked On Mavericks podcast, Yahoo Sports NBA insider Jake Fischer said that some in Dallas feel Siakam could be the "missing piece" the Mavs need to contend for an NBA championship:

The Raptors are already in seller mode this season, as they dealt wing OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks last month for a package headlined by RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.

At 15-24, the Raptors are 12th in the Eastern Conference, and if they continue to drop, they won't have much incentive to keep Siakam or other players on expiring contracts unless they are able to sign them to extensions.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported earlier this month that the expectation within the league is that Toronto will indeed move Siakam before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

If that happens, Dallas would perhaps be the ideal landing spot for the two-time All-Star, as he could be the third scoring option the Mavs have been looking for.

The 29-year-old Siakam is enjoying another strong statistical season, averaging 22.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, while shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Siakam helped the Raptors win their first championship in 2019 as a supporting cast member, but after Kawhi Leonard left in free agency that offseason, he became a go-to guy.

Over the past five seasons, Siakam boasts averages of 22.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists per contest.

Dončić and Irving are both performing at their usual All-Star levels this season, and Dončić is in the MVP conversation with averages of 33.6 points, 9.1 assists and 8.1 rebounds per game.

However, the rest of the roster has had limited production, which begs the question of whether Dallas can vie for a title.

The Mavs have been solid this season, as they are 23-16 and sixth in the Western Conference, but it is fair to wonder if they can truly compete with teams like the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Dončić, Irving and Siakam is a trio that would be tough for most teams to match, especially since Irving and Siakam both have championship experience.

The Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors "have discussed" a trade involving Pascal Siakam "in recent weeks," according to The Athletic's Anthony Slater.

The Athletic floated a proposed trade that sent Chris Paul, Jonathan Kuminga and first-round picks in 2026 and 2028 to Toronto for the two-time All-Star.

"I'd wager the Warriors view that proposal—Kuminga, two firsts and a valuable expiring salary —as too steep," he wrote.

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported on Jan. 5 that some people around the NBA considered the Warriors an outside contender to acquire Siakam ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

Maybe the championship window has well and truly closed for Golden State. Every dynasty comes to an end eventually. But the benefits of adding a player who's averaging 22.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists are obvious. He'd especially help a team that ranks 23rd in defensive rating (116.9), per NBA.com.

Trading Kuminga would also offer a solution to a problem that presented itself when Slater and Shams Charania reported for The Athletic the 21-year-old "no longer believes (head coach Steve) Kerr will allow him to reach his full potential."

But this may be the point at which the front office decides it can't keep mortgaging the future. It's perhaps telling in that regard how Kerr already made an effort to placate Kuminga and get the 6'7" forward on the court more.

There's plenty of risk in landing Siakam thanks to his contract status, too. The 29-year-old could walk as a free agent in the offseason while signing him to the deal he reportedly desires could test even governor Joe Lacob's financial limits. Golden State is looking at an estimated $186.3 million luxury tax bill for this season.

If the Warriors are going to take one more big swing like this to win another title with Stephen Curry, waiting until the offseason might be the sensible call given all of the factors at play. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. would have more time to navigate around the ensuing fallout and retool the roster.

Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam is reportedly seeking a max contract this summer in free agency.

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Siakam's desire for a max deal is set regardless of whether he stays in Toronto past February's trade deadline or is moved to another team. He has also reportedly expressed the fact he does not see the Sacramento Kings as a "long-term fit."

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported the Kings and Raptors were engaged in talks and a deal looked close for a "hot second" before negotiations stalled. Sacramento reportedly offered Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, Davion Mitchell and a first-round pick in talks.

It's unclear if Siakam's lack of desire to play in Sacramento is what halted negotiations.

Siakam will be 30 when he hits free agency in July and may be in for a rude awakening on the open market. He is a two-time All-Star who does not look likely to earn a third selection as he turns in a solid-but-unspectacular 2023-24 campaign. While several teams could use Siakam's floor spacing and passing at the 4, paying a non-All-Star upwards of $50 million a season isn't exactly the most enticing proposition.

The number of teams with projected max cap space is also few and far between at this point, so it's not as if Siakam will have half of the league sitting around with money to blow. It feels more likely that Siakam will wind up "settling" for a below-max contract, somewhere in the three- or four-year range at $40 million a year.

That's nothing to scoff at but is evidence of how Siakam's star has dimmed a bit around the league and is a big reason the Raptors haven't had teams bowling over them with huge trade offers.

The reported Kings proposal features two overpaid veteran role players in Huerter and Barnes along with a 25-year-old third-year guard averaging 3.6 points and 1.9 assists per game. A future first-round pick from Sacramento has some value, but it's unlikely that selection came without protections.

At this point, it's fair to criticize Raptors president Masai Ujiri for overplaying his hand with his trade chips. The package the New York Knicks sent to Toronto for OG Anunoby paled in comparison to the bevy of first-round picks the Raptors could have gotten in the past, and Ujiri already watched as Fred VanVleet walked in free agency last summer.

A year ago, a Siakam trade may have returned a superstar haul. Instead, Ujiri's scouring the market for an offer featuring spare parts for a player whose contract demands may be out of line with the market.