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NBA Draft rumors: Pascal Siakam trade is unlikely

The Toronto Raptors have been the focal point of trade rumors leading up to the draft after last season’s disappointing finish. After firing Nick Nurse, however, it appears more likely than not that Toronto will simply run it back with largely the same roster. That all starts, of course, with Pascal Siakam, who reportedly wants to stay in Toronto long term.

According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, NBA teams are getting the sense that Siakam would not re-sign with a team he is traded to, as he wants to remain with the Raptors. Siakam’s contract expires at the end of next season and he’s eligible for an extension with Toronto.

Masai Ujiri received a ton of well-deserved credit for building the Raptors’ championship roster in 2019. In the years since, however, he has been remarkably stubborn when it comes to keeping his team together. The Raptors finished last season at .500 despite rostering multiple former All-Stars. There’s no immediate path to upgrading the roster to championship quality, and yet Ujiri and the front office remain borderline unwilling to listen to offers on Siakam, OG Anunoby, and others.

The Raptors have an important free agency period ahead, starting with Fred VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl. If both re-sign, Toronto will have the exact same starting five with only a new head coach to guide them away from the perilously bad vibes of last season. Siakam is a top-30 player and the Raptors should be thrilled with his loyalty, but at some point the front office will have to face the music and consider a significant restructuring.