With the Toronto Raptors seemingly shopping NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam, it appears likely that he will soon be traded, and there appear to be two frontrunners. The Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers are currently the favorites to land Siakam, and each team can offer the Raptors a solid haul in return for their best player.
However, an interesting trade proposal brought forth by Fanspo suggests that the New Orleans Pelicans just may have enough to go all-in on Siakam. The Pelicans reportedly flirted with trading their best player, Zion Williamson, ahead of the NBA draft and could look to get their disappointing 2022–23 season behind them by upgrading their roster this summer.
With Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum, they already have a talented core, but they have yet to stay healthy. Rather than wait for something that may or may not happen, New Orleans could cash in many of the remaining assets to acquire Siakam.
By doing so, they could put themselves in title contention in a fairly open Western Conference. Next, we’ll take a look at a potential trade package that would send Siakam from Toronto to New Orleans.
NBA Trades: What would a Raptors-Pelicans trade look like?
The proposed trade would see Jonas Valanciunas, Kira Lewis, Dyson Daniels, and Larry Nance Jr. traded to the Raptors for Siakam. A four-for-one swap is rare and would be an uncharacteristically bold move by the Pels.
After all, they would be trading their starting and backup centers as well as sacrificing guard depth to get a frontcourt upgrade. Then again, the Pelicans are already reportedly shopping Valanciunas, while Nance Jr., Daniels, and Lewis would have to be included to match salaries.
If the Pelicans are really interested in Siakam, then giving up those three players likely wouldn’t be much of an issue since they would be able to hold onto their three best players, McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Williamson, in the deal.
For Toronto, it seems clear that Siakam isn’t a part of their long-term plans, and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent after next season. Moving him this summer could net them more than waiting until the trade deadline, when teams may be less willing to give up assets for a possible rental.
Adding to their decision is the fact that their 2024 first-round pick is owned by the Spurs and only top-six protected in 2024 and 2025. Keeping Siakam might make them a play-in team, but it would ensure that they lose their pick and possibly lose their best player for nothing.
On the other hand, moving him might not be enough to make them one of the worst teams in the NBA and could lead to an eventual OG Anunoby trade. The Pelicans, in theory, have enough assets to make Toronto a big offer, but would they? Let’s find out next.
Would the Pelicans offer that much for Siakam?
Were the trade to happen, the Pelicans’ hypothetical starting lineup would consist of McCollum, Trey Murphy III, Williamson, Ingram, and Siakam at center. That lineup would certainly turn heads, especially if Ingram and Williamson could stay healthy. Better yet, they would still have some depth with Jose Alvarez and Herb Jones. Of course, there are downsides to the trade for the Pelicans.
Having three All-Stars and McCollum share the ball might make the team less than the sum of its parts. There would also be some overlap concerns with Ingram and Siakam, though the Pels were interested in Anunoby last season and Siakam is a more talented player. Additionally, while Siakam has a lot of experience playing at center, he’d have to play the position full-time in a conference that has Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, and Victor Wembanyama.
On the other hand, the Pelicans would be cashing in their chips by trading for Siakam, and he’d provide them insurance against Williamson or Ingram not being healthy. Assuming that he agrees to an extension, it could also be a multi-season experiment to see if it works. If not, the Pelicans could choose who to trade among their big four.
Giving up depth, Daniels, and a first would force them to reshuffle their roster, but they would still have enough depth to build out a good nine-man rotation, and that might be tempting for New Orleans. Next, we’ll see if the Raptors would agree to the proposed deal.
Would the Raptors agree to the proposed deal?
The New Orleans offer would center around Daniels, who was the seventh pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and shows plenty of promise as a two-way wing, as well as a first-round pick. Receiving a recent top-10 pick and a first would be a competitive offer, not to mention the other useful players they would acquire.
Toronto could bolster their frontcourt by bringing back Valanciunas, who spent his first eight seasons with the team, as well as adding Nance Jr. Either would prove to be a good backup to Jakob Poeltl and help the Raptors move away from their big wing core of Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, and Siakam, which has seemingly peaked.
With starting point guard Fred VanVleet gone and Siakam possibly next, the Raptors may opt for a rebuild and could potentially move Nance Jr. and Valanciunas for more assets at the trade deadline.
Depending on the specifics of the Hawks and Pacers’ offers, the Pelicans could offer another 2024 first, though Toronto could possibly agree to this deal if they value Daniels. Ultimately, the Pelicans could add a fourth star to their core if they decided, but it would depend on whether Toronto agreed.