NBA Trade Rumors: Raptors' Pascal Siakam Subject of 'Persistent Speculation'

In the wake of losing Fred VanVleet to the Houston Rockets in free agency, the Toronto Raptors could pursue any number of directions to take the franchise.

Per Michael Grange of SportsNet, Pascal Siakam has been the subject of "persistent speculation" and could be traded before the start of the regular season.

Grange noted the Atlanta Hawks are one team that's been connected to Siakam "for weeks," and they attempted to re-engage Toronto after VanVleet agreed to a three-year, $130 million deal with the Rockets on Friday.

"Several other teams are believed to have checked in also," Grange wrote about interest in the two-time All-Star.

Siakam's attachment to the Raptors franchise could make it difficult for the team to get back the type of value it might pursue in a potential trade.

Doug Smith of the Toronto Star noted last month Siakam put word out that he wouldn't entertain any talks about a contract extension if he was traded prior to the 2023 NBA draft.

It's unclear if Siakam's mindset has changed in the wake of the draft and early stages of free agency, but Smith pointed out many people in the organization believe their 41-41 record last season was more of an aberration than a sign of a team in decline.

"Staleness, the sameness, injuries, a self-fulfilling prophecy that something was always going to hold the Raptors back all fed into a season devoid of fun, enthusiasm or any sustained success," Smith wrote.

The Raptors hired Darko Rajaković to replace Nick Nurse as head coach. The 44-year-old spent the past three seasons as an assistant for the Memphis Grizzlies.

If the Hawks still have interest in Siakam, it's hard to figure out what they would be willing to trade for him. They have agreed to trade John Collins to the Utah Jazz in what was essentially a salary dump for Rudy Gay and a future second-round draft pick, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Matt Moore of the Action Network noted there's been some recent buzz about Dejounte Murray being available, but he's a "a bit skeptical" if something happens considering the package they gave up to acquire him last offseason from the San Antonio Spurs.

B/R's Jake Fischer reported in the lead up to the draft that Atlanta "explored the idea of trading" De'Andre Hunter as the team looks to increase AJ Griffin's role.

Hunter is four years younger than Siakam and signed through the 2026-27 season. But if the Raptors want future draft assets as part of any deal for Siakam, the Hawks don't have any available from 2024 to '27.

Siakam is owed $37.9 million in 2023-24, the final season of his four-year, $136.9 million deal signed in 2019. The 29-year-old averaged a career-high 24.2 points and 5.8 assists per game in 71 starts last season.