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The Golden State Warriors are strong candidates to be active ahead of the NBA trade deadline, as they attempt to build a roster capable of challenging the top contenders in the Western Conference.
The Dubs abandoned their multiyear experiment of playing for the moment and for the future simultaneously, going all-in on maximizing their championship window down the stretch run of Steph Curry’s career.
To that end, adding an All-Star in his prime to the mix makes considerable sense. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report on Tuesday, November 21, suggested Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors as a prime target for Golden State.
Watching the Warriors, it feels relatively reasonable to conclude that only a major trade would help them salvage this season. That’s triply true if Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson can’t get it going.
If Golden State goes for broke this trade season, Pascal Siakam might be an option. He feels like he’s right at the top of this team’s trade budget, and he’d probably exceed it if he wasn’t on an expiring contract.
Cashing out top assets for a partial season rental is risky, but is it any riskier than not giving Curry what he needs to contend for a championship? … [Siakam] contributes at both ends, offering both the defensive versatility the Dubs have favored and the ability to finish scoring plays or create them for himself.
Pascal Siakam Can Offer Warriors Defense, Rebounding and Scoring
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GettyPascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors.
Siakam has been at the center of trade speculation across the NBA since last season, and for good reason.
Toronto has struggled over the last couple of campaigns and is primed for a rebuild. Meanwhile, Siakam is playing in the final year of his $137 million contract and is bound for free agency next summer.
A two-time All-Star, Siakam led the NBA in minutes per game in each of the past two seasons. He averaged a career-high 24.2 points per outing in 2022-23 to go along with 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists, according to Basketball Reference.
This year is Siakam’s eighth in the league, and he will turn 30 years old near its end in early April.
Trading for Pascal Siakam Will Cost Warriors One of Their Stars
GettyKlay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.
To make a trade work, the Warriors will need to include one of their highly-paid stars as part of the package.
If Toronto is truly resetting for a rebuild, the franchise isn’t going to want one of Golden State’s top talents for the long-term. Instead, the Raptors will want a player with an expiring contract to complement a package headlined by future picks and young players.
Only Thompson and point guard Chris Paul fit the bill. Thompson is earning $43.2 million this season, while Paul makes $30 million. The financials of NBA trades need to match up, or at least come close, and Siakam is earning $37.9 million in 2023-24.
Golden State is likely to lose Paul for nothing at the end of the year, unless he chooses to return at a significantly reduced price. Thompson and the Warriors have been unable to agree to terms on an extension for the shooting guard that would keep him in the Bay Area for the remainder of his career.
Moving Thompson for Siakam at some point over the next couple of months brings resolution to that issue, and while it may not prove an immediately popular decision among Warriors fans, any discontent is likely to blow over if Siakam elevates the Dubs back to the top of an incredibly talented and competitive Western Conference.