Getty Chris Paul and Draymond Green
Will the Golden State Warriors pounce on the uncertainty of Pascal Siakam‘s future in Toronto?
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley concocted a mock trade for the Warriors to zero in on the Raptors’ two-way forward that could raise their championship ceiling.
The proposed trade:
Golden State Warriors receive: Pascal Siakam
Toronto Raptors receive: Chris Paul, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and a 2028 first-round pick (top-seven protected)
The extension-eligible Siakam has yet to demand a trade as he’s steadfast in staying in Canada, with the Toronto Star reporting that the 29-year-old forward will not sign an extension with any team who would trade for him. But that was in June. Things tend to change fast in the NBA landscape.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on August 8 that Siakam and the Raptors have “no substantive conversations surrounding an extension,” fueling speculations about his long-term future with the team.
In the same report, Charania noted that Toronto has rejected Atlanta’s offer consisting of a package centered around De’Andre Hunter, AJ Griffin and draft compensation, as the Raptors “are believed to have upped the price on any possible deal at each turn.”
“Does this Warriors offer trump that package? That depends on your evaluation of Kuminga (and the particulars on that draft compensation),” Buckley wrote in his mock trade story.
That depends on how the Raptors view Kuminga. If they consider the 20-year-old, 6-foot-7 forward a younger version of Siakam, then the Warriors could pull it off.
Paul will readily slot into the void vacated by Fred VanVleet, while Podziemski and a future lottery pick to sweeten the offer.
If Siakam gets to Golden State and immerses himself in the Warriors’ championship culture, he may rethink his earlier decision not to extend outside Toronto.
Siakam is coming off his best season in the NBA, averaging 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists. He will immediately help the Raptors in a way Kuminga cannot do just yet.
Steve Kerr Non-Committal on Chris Paul Starting
Warriors coach Steve Kerr deferred discussing Paul potentially starting for the Warriors alongside Stephen Curry at their backcourt.
“I think that’ll be a case where you get three weeks of training camp before that first game,” Kerr said in an August 4 ESPN report. “We’ll just look at all kinds of different combinations.”
The Warriors traded for Paul, the 11-time All-Star point guard, primarily for future financial flexibility and second as a complementary player to their core Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in the hopes of extending their dynasty window.
Bob Myers Nears ESPN Deal
Former Warriors General Manager Bob Myers is nearing a deal to join ESPN, The New York Post reported.
The deal is for Myers to join ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” as an analyst.
Myers resigned from his dual role as the Warriors’ general manager and president of basketball operations in May after delivering four championships (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022) to the Warriors, easily the most successful era in franchise history.