NBA Draft 2023 Rumors: Raptors Could Be 'Significant Trade Players' amid Siakam Buzz

The Toronto Raptors "could be significant trade players" in the 2023 NBA draft, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

Givony reported the intrigue centers around Pascal Siakam, who's entering the final season of his four-year, $136.9 million extension. Trading Siakam would allow Toronto to move up from the No. 13 pick in the first round.

In April, TSN's Josh Lewenberg wrote how the Raptors may face a massive roster overhaul.

"Outside of Scottie Barnes, who is coming off a disappointing follow up to his Rookie of the Year campaign, everybody and everything is on the table as the offseason kicks into high gear ahead of the draft in late June and free agency at the beginning of July," he reported.

No single player will represent the front office's mindset more than Siakam.

Re-signing the two-time All-Star means the organization is all-in on the present despite missing the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. If he's traded, then it's effectively a total rebuild.

Team president Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster resisted the latter approach at the 2023 trade deadline, which would've been a reasonable point to make a long-term pivot. The Raptors acquired Jakob Poeltl in a deal that included a 2024 first-round pick and two second-rounders.

Now, avoiding a teardown could be much more difficult.

Poeltl is an unrestricted free agent, and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday that Fred VanVleet declined his player option for the 2023-24 season. Gary Trent Jr. has a player option for next year, too, and NBA insider Marc Stein reported Sunday that Trent and VanVleet "appear more likely than not to relocate."

Stein added the general belief around the league is that the Raptors aren't "interested in a total rebuild and view their offseason plans as a retool." But how do you retool in the event you lose two key players and only have up to $31.6 million in salary-cap space, per Spotrac?

As painful as it would be, dealing Siakam and moving in a new direction might be the best path forward.