NBA Trade Rumors: Pascal Siakam, Harrison Barnes Deal Discussed by Kings, Raptors

Harrison Barnes was included in the Sacramento Kings' trade offer for Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Charania reported Monday on FanDuel TV's Run It Back the teams had "active conversations" about a swap, with Sacramento insistent on sending Barnes out.

Negotiations appear to have broken down, with Charania reporting on Jan. 5 the Kings were pulling out.

From Sacramento's perspective, shipping out Barnes is important because he's due to make $18 million in 2024-25 and $19 million in 2025-26. Beyond making the finances of a trade work now, shedding his contract would afford the Kings a little more flexibility to re-sign Siakam, who's headed for free agency in the summer.

The problem for Kings general manager Monte McNair is that Toronto probably doesn't have an overriding desire to take on Barnes' deal.

Given his age, the 31-year-old isn't a great fit for a franchise that appears resigned to either rebuilding or spending the next season or two retooling. There's simply no scenario in which the Raptors could afford to lose Siakam on top of already trading OG Anunoby and remain a contender in the short term.

Barnes probably isn't the kind of asset Toronto could flip for a profit down the line, either. He's averaging 11.4 points and shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc. The 6'8" forward is a good secondary piece on a playoff team and not much more than that.

Anybody who has fired up an NBA trade machine can probably tell you Barnes almost has to be included in a two-team deal for Siakam in order for Sacramento to his $37.9 million salary. There isn't much other way for the Kings to match the dollars without giving up so much depth it defeats the purpose of the move in the first place.

Based on Charania's reporting, that was basically a nonstarter for the Raptors, and it's hard to see their stance evolving much before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.