Video: Pascal Siakam Says 'S--t Happens' About Thunder-Paul George Trade Rumors

Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam was reportedly the subject of trade talks between the Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder this offseason, but the rising star isn't sweating it.

In an interview with TMZ Sports published Tuesday, Siakam was asked about the notion that he could have been dealt to OKC after winning a championship with the Raptors last season:

"It's the NBA. S--t happens," Siakam said. "It's the NBA. It's a business."

After the Thunder traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers so that he could join forces with Kawhi Leonard, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Thunder general manager Sam Presti offered both George and guard Russell Westbrook to Toronto in a trade centered on Siakam, but the Raptors balked.

Had the Raptors traded for George, there is a good chance they would have been able to retain Leonard and make another run at a championship.

While George is a superstar who finished third in the MVP voting last season, he is four years older than the 25-year-old Siakam, who is one of the fastest-rising stars in the NBA.

After putting up modest numbers in his first two NBA seasons, Siakam broke out in 2018-19 by averaging 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 54.9 percent from the field. That was enough to earn Siakam the NBA Most Improved Player Award.

With Leonard now out of the picture, the Raptors are essentially Siakam's team along with All-Star guard Kyle Lowry.

Toronto doesn't seem to have the makings of a championship contender, but with essentially its entire team returning aside from Kawhi, it should still be a top team in the Eastern Conference at the very least.