Everything Pascal Siakam

[Jclaw]

Kings reportedly pulling out .

Is there a “Well, that de-escalated quickly” meme?

[The Great One]

I mean, why are people so surprised? Heyy said a long time ago that Murray is untouchable. So who else would they trade for Siakam? a package around Mitchell? no.

[MixxAOR]

As a pending free agent, Siakam holds considerable leverage in what happens over the next month. Now that January is upon us, he is no longer eligible to sign a long-term extension with a team that acquires him mid-season. Before pulling the trigger on a trade, any interested team will be reaching out to Siakam’s representatives looking for some assurance that he’s willing to re-sign with them over the summer. Without those assurances, it’s hard to see any of them giving up that kind of assets the Raptors would need to justify making the move. Meaning that Siakam and his camp can essentially block a trade to a specific destination, or any destination, if they choose. Think of it as a no-trade clause without actually having a no-trade clause.

It’s led a couple of league sources to wonder whether the Raptors’ unusual, and at times disrespectful, treatment of Siakam dating back to last summer has been intended to force his hand, or worse, push him out.

[G____Deane]

Why do suposedly professional and plugged in writers keep repeating this error?

"But they also can’t risk losing another key piece – and the last remaining player from their championship core – for nothing in free agency this summer."

[The Great One]

I thought the Raptors don't leak?

[Kagemusha]

I thought the Raptors don't leak?

Rival execs and/or Siakam's agency

[Primer]

I thought the Raptors don't leak?

Raptors definitely leak, but only when it suits us.

[LJ2]

Whats the unusual and disrespectful treatment of Siakam that they are referring to? Seems to me like he's happy and playing like an All NBA player most nights to me.

[Primer]

Whats the unusual and disrespectful treatment of Siakam that they are referring to? Seems to me like he's happy and playing like an All NBA player most nights to me.

I think how aggressively we tried to move him in the offseason.

[LJ2]

We've helped him become wealthy beyond imagination and set him up for even more riches in the future. I think we good.

[MixxAOR]

Whats the unusual and disrespectful treatment of Siakam that they are referring to? Seems to me like he's happy and playing like an All NBA player most nights to me.

But after their disappointing 2022-23 season ended with an embarrassing play-in loss to Chicago, 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. Typically, players of his calibre don’t get that close to free agency without signing an extension. Ujiri’s very public message to Siakam on Media Day: you’ll have to earn it – the natural implication being that he hadn’t already.

From article

[G____Deane]

Rival execs and/or Siakam's agency

Or Masai attempting to make other clubs panic, especially if there really is just a few clubs interested

[saints91]

I think how aggressively we tried to move him in the offseason.

And making him the poster boy of the selfish play. I think Darko singled him out at the beginning of training camp as well.

[LJ2]

From article

Not sure what the source of this information was, but management has always done well by their players here. I doubt the treatment described is legit or Pascal probably would have left by now. His only option in FA is Philly isn't it? The rest are of the teams with cap space are undesirable. A trade benefits him because it could open up options in teams to play for and a team would get his bird rights I think.

[The Great One]

From article

Heres the reality. First of all I like Siakam. The Raps gave him all kinds of chances to be "the man". He was the man when Kawhi left. But he's proven time and time again that he's not that guy. He was a complete no show in the bubble against the Celtics.

In 2021, they gave him the ball pretty much in every clutch situations. This was the year where he completely drove me nuts because he kept making the same mistakes and was the complete opposite of clutch. Taking fadeaway shots, losing the ball everytime he drove to the hoop, missing freethrows etc.

Last year was the year where he forced things. The whole selfish thing. I always thought that was towards Siakam and Trent and not FVV.

So anyway, I can't really blame Masai now for pivoting and building the team around Scottie and IQ. That's what he pretty much implied in that Open Gym episode that came out a couple of days ago.