Hawks Right Not to Include Kobe Bufkin in Pascal Siakam Package Amid NBA Trade Rumors

Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam nearly found himself at the center of a blockbuster trade this summer that would have shipped him to Atlanta, but the Hawks' unwillingness to give up one of their promising young stars put the deal on hold.

"The Hawks were unwilling to part with rookie guard Kobe Bufkin in trade talks for Siakam, league sources told HoopsHype. Coach Quin Snyder is said to be high on the former Michigan guard, who averaged 19.3 points on 51.9 percent shooting overall and 45 percent from beyond the arc with 5.6 rebounds in his final eight games as a Wolverine," Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported.

It was the right call by a franchise that may be competitive in the Eastern Conference, but does not have a realistic shot at representing it in the NBA Finals, nor would it have even with Siakam.

The talented forward put up 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists this season, so there is no denying his talent nor his contributions, but the Hawks are in need of more than one piece to go alongside star Trae Young if they want to make a deep run at an NBA title.

Taking into consideration that Snyder is looking to establish himself and his coaching imprint on the team, and is high on Bufkin, it would do a great disservice to him to ship the 19-year-old out of town.

The Raptors understandably are interested in bringing Bufkin in considering they had the opportunity to draft him earlier this year and went with Grady Dick instead.

Executing a trade for Bufkin would deliver the team its top two favored players, a move that would be brilliant on the part of their front office but not one that appears likely.

That does not mean the Hawks are completely out of the market on Siakam.

Scotto's report suggests Bogdan Bogdanovich is a player worth watching in any trade movements made by the team, especially coming off a FIBA World Cup performance that saw him finish as the third-highest-ranked player. Throw in a sizeable contract ($68 million owed over the next four seasons per Scotto) and you have a piece the Hawks would hope to leverage for Siakam.

If they fail to acquire the forward, the front office can rest peacefully knowing it did not make the reactionary move and mortgage the future of the team for a quick fix that may not have gotten them to its final destination the way a young core of players led by Bufkin can in the years to come.

How well that sits with Young, who wants to win now, remains to be seen.