NBA Rumors: 'Raptors Cut off Almost All Communication with' Pascal Siakam Last Summer

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.