The Toronto Raptors’ new roster is already in place.
According to reports, Masai Ujri will continue to make moves to prepare his squad for the future even with OG Anunoby joining the New York Knicks.
In light of this, most people anticipate that Pascal Siakam will be the next player to be moved.
Interestingly, it has been rumoured that the Indiana Pacers are monitoring the PF/C.
That might not be feasible right now, though, as NBA source Kurt Helin notes that the Raptors would prefer to trade for either Jarace Walker or Benedict Mathurin in any deal involving the Pacers (via NBA Central).
That might, of course, be a bit of a deal-breaker.
Since Mathurin and Tyrese Haliburton have a great rapport and he is the team’s top scorer, he won’t be accessible at all.
Walker is also a young player, and the organisation appears to have great expectations for him. Even if he were to become available, they wouldn’t part with prospective franchise pillars in order to acquire an ageing veteran with a contract that was about to expire.
Due to Ujiri’s reputation as a harsh negotiator, several transactions have failed.
He will eventually have to decide and agree to meet with someone in the middle, along with the Raptors.
Siakam’s trade value may be declining daily as a result of his refusal to extend his deal with the Raptors, and no team should have to spend more than necessary for a player they could easily try to sign in the offseason.
