Pascal Siakam

Harrison Barnes was included in the Sacramento Kings' trade offer for Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Charania reported Monday on FanDuel TV's Run It Back the teams had "active conversations" about a swap, with Sacramento insistent on sending Barnes out.

Negotiations appear to have broken down, with Charania reporting on Jan. 5 the Kings were pulling out.

From Sacramento's perspective, shipping out Barnes is important because he's due to make $18 million in 2024-25 and $19 million in 2025-26. Beyond making the finances of a trade work now, shedding his contract would afford the Kings a little more flexibility to re-sign Siakam, who's headed for free agency in the summer.

The problem for Kings general manager Monte McNair is that Toronto probably doesn't have an overriding desire to take on Barnes' deal.

Given his age, the 31-year-old isn't a great fit for a franchise that appears resigned to either rebuilding or spending the next season or two retooling. There's simply no scenario in which the Raptors could afford to lose Siakam on top of already trading OG Anunoby and remain a contender in the short term.

Barnes probably isn't the kind of asset Toronto could flip for a profit down the line, either. He's averaging 11.4 points and shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc. The 6'8" forward is a good secondary piece on a playoff team and not much more than that.

Anybody who has fired up an NBA trade machine can probably tell you Barnes almost has to be included in a two-team deal for Siakam in order for Sacramento to his $37.9 million salary. There isn't much other way for the Kings to match the dollars without giving up so much depth it defeats the purpose of the move in the first place.

Based on Charania's reporting, that was basically a nonstarter for the Raptors, and it's hard to see their stance evolving much before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

Pascal Siakam will head into free agency this summer, leading to speculation about the possibility of a trade before February's deadline. He could have signed an extension before this season, but the Toronto Raptors reportedly went radio silent on him.

According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN, team president Masai Ujiri "and Toronto's front office cut off almost all communication with Siakam last summer, leading the seven-year vet to wonder whether he was being punished, according to a source close to the player. The lack of contact was especially strange, with Siakam entering the final year of his contract."

Lewenberg added that the "overwhelming consensus from pundits and several plugged-in league sources is that Siakam will be the next to go."

It makes sense. Siakam is a pending free agent, he's 29 and isn't on the same timeline as a young core that revolves around Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett. Losing him for nothing in the offseason doesn't make sense, and neither does signing him to a max deal when he's on a drastically different timeline from the younger players.

The issue for Toronto is that the rest of the league is more than aware of the above, and that potentially limits the Raptors' leverage in trade talks unless multiple suitors emerge and a bidding war materializes.

Plus, teams are aware they could be trading for a short-term rental. That limits his value in trades as well.

Siakam, 29, would be an excellent second or third option on a contending team. He's averaging 22.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and five assists per game, shooting 52.1 percent from the field but just 28.8 percent from three.

It's undoubtedly been a down year for the two-time All-Star, given his lofty standards, though perhaps questions about his future and more of an emphasis on playing through Barnes has had its impact.

Either way, a change in scenery makes sense for both parties. It just remains to be seen if the Raptors are going to get the kind of offers they're hoping for.

The Sacramento Kings are reportedly out on Pascal Siakam, in part because the team isn't interested in trading young forward Keegan Murray.

According to Michael Grange of Sportsnet, "the Kings are not going to trade talented second-year forward Murray and the Kings—already on the hook for full max deals for Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox—aren't interested in paying Siakam a full max contract which means any chances of retaining the pending free agent are nil."

The Raptors have already dealt OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks and are facing Siakam's pending free agency this summer, so hearing them linked to potential trades is hardly surprising. The veteran All-Star is likely to get a max deal, but he doesn't fit the timeline of the team's younger players, namely star-in-the-making Scottie Barnes.

But by most accounts, the Kings are out of the running for his services.

The 23-year-old Murray, Sacramento's No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, has proven to be a solid contributor for the team, averaging 15.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three in year two.

While his three-point shooting has regressed from a season ago (41.1 percent), he remains a solid floor-spacer for the 21-13 Kings and is the team's third-leading scorer behind Fox (29.2 PPG) and nightly double-double Sabonis (19.7 PPG).

Siakam is undoubtedly the better player right now. But he'll also be far more expensive to retain, and he's six years older than Murray. The Kings want to contend, undoubtedly, but giving up on an ascending player like Murray right now rather than giving the current core the chance to continue growing together would be a major risk.

One it appears the Kings aren't going to be making. The team currently sits at fourth place in the Western Conference, just four games behind the Denver Nuggets for the top overall seed. There's little incentive to rock the boat—the current group is playing good basketball, and is largely on the same timeline going forward.

While Pascal Siakam's name might be involved in trade buzz, the Toronto Raptors forward is focused on doing his job on the court.

Per the Sacramento Bee's Jason Anderson, Siakam, who has been linked to a potential trade with the Sacramento Kings, said that he doesn't worry about trade rumors and lets other people handle that area.

"I don't really pay attention to anything," Siakam said. "I have people who work on that stuff. I play basketball. I'm a basketball player and that's all I try to focus on."

The eight year player is currently leading the Raptors in scoring at 22.3 points per game amid a 14-21 start.

While there has been plenty of buzz about a potential Kings trade for Siakam, The Athletic and Stadium's Sham Charania reported Friday that trade conversations between the Kings and Raptors are over.

Had the Kings pursued a possible deal for Siakam, it likely would have meant dealing a member of their core that took them to the playoffs for the first time since 2006 last season — or giving up future picks.

Sacramento is having a successful season so far, sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference at 21-13 behind De'Aaron Fox, who is putting up a career-high 29.2 points per game, and Domantas Sabonis, who is averaging 19.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game.

The Raptors have already been active in the trade market, dealing OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks for Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and a 2024 second-round pick. Toronto is currently out of the playoff picture at 14-21, but it is looking to its new members to help spark a mid-season surge.

For now, Siakam will look to be a part of that surge and ignore the trade rumors.

Despite getting an early start on trade season, the Toronto Raptors aren't necessarily in a hurry to sell off all of their key veterans before Feb. 8.

Per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, one person said they "wouldn't be surprised" if the Raptors offer Pascal Siakam a contract extension even though it's been assumed he will be dealt after OG Anunoby was traded to the New York Knicks.

The Anunoby trade is fascinating because it could signal multiple things about what the Raptors want to do.

Rather than prioritize draft assets, the Raptors' primary returns in the deal were RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. They did get a 2024 second-round draft pick that belongs to the Detroit Pistons, which could end up being No. 31 overall.

That's not necessarily the type of trade to signal the Raptors want to wave the white flag this season. Barrett and Quickley are long-term plays because of their ages. Barrett is also signed to a long-term contract that runs through 2026-27.

Quickley can sign a long-term deal after this season, though he can become a restricted free agent if a contract doesn't get worked out with the Raptors.

Anunoby isn't an old player at 26, but Quickley (24) and Barrett (23) are younger than him. They will likely cost less than him by the time Anunoby ends up signing his next deal, which could be as soon as this summer if he opts out of his $19.9 million salary for next season.

Siakam is set to become a free agent this summer. The two-time All-Star has spent his entire career in Toronto since being selected with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. He's averaging more than 20 points per game for the fifth consecutive season.

The 29-year-old is shooting 52.1 percent from the field, along with 6.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in 34 starts this season.

Toronto is currently 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 14-20 record. The team is on pace to miss the playoffs for the third time in the past four seasons.

Trade talks between the Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors regarding All-Star Pascal Siakam have ended, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Kings were likely attempting to pair the 29-year-old alongside De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, giving the team enough offensive firepower to compete for the Western Conference crown. However, Charania noted that Siakam's upcoming free agency will play a role in Sacramento's interest in acquiring him before the Kings ultimately removed themselves from trade discussions.

He's currently playing out the final season of a four-year contract worth roughly $137 million that he signed in 2019. Any team that trades for Siakam is only eligible to extend him for two years, with the former first-round pick preferring to enter unrestricted free agency (via NBA insider Marc Stein). In other words, there's a chance that a team trading for Siakam eventually loses him in free agency after a few months.

Sitting at 14-20, the Raptors appear to be building their roster around former Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. On Dec. 30, Toronto sent forward OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks in exchange for 23-year-old wing RJ Barrett and 24-year-old point guard Immanuel Quickley.

Siakam is expected to be dealt by the Raptors ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

Although the Kings have gotten off to a strong start by winning 20 of their first 33 games, general manager Monte McNair is looking for a third star that fits within the team's fast-paced offensive system. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports revealed that Sacramento has recently been gauging the value of players such as Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and Davion Mitchell. However, the Kings aren't considering trading promising forward Keegan Murray.

With Sacramento attempting to acquire marquee talent while Toronto is likely focused on a youth movement, a trade between the two sides made sense. However, it appears that the Kings will shift their focus towards a different star. As for Siakam, the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks remain interested in his services.

The Toronto Raptors already traded OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks, and Pascal Siakam appears to be the next in line to be moved this winter.

Siakam is expected to be dealt by the Feb. 8 trade deadline, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported that "chatter among NBA executives surrounding Siakam's potential landing spots has now centered on" the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings.

He added: "Other teams mentioned, such as Dallas and Philadelphia, don't appear as viable destinations at this juncture, although Toronto officials have suggested to inquiring front offices as many as 10 teams hold legitimate interest in Siakam."

Siakam has been one of the hottest names on the trade market this winter as the Raptors enter a likely rebuild. However, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday that there has been "no traction" in trade talks involving the veteran following the Anunoby deal.

Siakam is set to become a free agent after the 2023-24 campaign. However, he's only eligible to sign a two-year contract extension if he's traded at the deadline.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported Monday that if traded, Siakam "would prefer, again, to proceed to unrestricted free agency … meaning that any team that trades for him now must be daring enough to roll those dice."

Siakam has spent his entire eight-year career in Toronto, helping the franchise capture the 2019 NBA title. He has also earned the 2018-19 Most Improved Player award, two All-Star selections and two All-NBA selections.

Despite Toronto's struggles this season, the 29-year-old is still having a solid campaign—although his numbers are down across the board. He's averaging 22.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 34 games while shooting 52.1 percent from the floor and 28.8 percent from deep.

While Siakam's numbers are down by his standards, he would still be a great addition for any contending team this year, and it's going to be interesting to see where he ends up.