Redrafting the 2016 NBA Draft

Pascal Siakam has vastly exceeded any and all expectations in the NBA. He was second banana on a championship team during the Kawhi Leonard year, and since then he has emerged as one of the NBA’s most reliable two-way stars. A special athlete who attacks downhill with deadly speed and physicality, Siakam has perfected the art of flying under the radar. Not many bonafide stars are more underrated.

Siakam’s spin move has become something of a punch line, but he is truly hard to stop once he’s moving toward the rim. Siakam can pirouette through traffic with elite body control, tossing up feather-soft floaters and hook shots from wacky angles with great success. His 3-point volume has been hard to predict in recent years, but Siakam is generally good for 4-5 attempts per game on respectable efficiency.

To make matters worse for the opposing defense, Siakam has become more willing and able to pass in recent years. He averaged 5.3 assists per game last season, a new career best. He draws a lot of attention driving down the lane and he is more capable than ever of exploiting that to set up teammates.

The cherry on top of Siakam’s stardom is his unique versatility. The Raptors have used him both as a wing and as a center. These days, he’s often patrolling the middle of Toronto’s uniquely handsy switch-all defense. Siakam can guard on the perimeter or play physical defense in the post. The Raptors move him around freely to fit different personnel groups. That’s a rare luxury.