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Pascal Siakam has frequently been mentioned in NBA trade rumors linking him with a move away from the Toronto Raptors this offseason.
NBA trade rumors suggested the Toronto Raptors' acquisition of forward Scottie Barnes as their #4 pick in the 2021 NBA draft could lead to them moving Pascal Siakam in the offseason. Multiple teams like the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings have also shown interest in trading for Siakam.
However, Masai Ujiri, president of basketball operations of the Toronto Raptors, recently claimed that the organization is not trying to trade Pascal Siakam, quashing all NBA trade rumors surrounding their All-Star. The Toronto Raptors are focused on entering a new era, comprising a young core featuring Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr and Pascal Siakam.
Pascal Siakam's agent dismisses NBA trade rumors about his client's departure from the Toronto Raptors
After Masai Ujiri clarified that the Toronto Raptors organization is not interested in trading away Pascal Siakam, the player's agent, Todd Ramasar, has also claimed that there have been no requests from their camp either.
In a recent interview on Sirius XM NBA Radio, Ramasar said:
"I have only had reassurance from the Raptors that Pascal is obviously with them to stay. Obviously from our camp, we are not requesting any type of movement or anything like that."
Both Ujiri and Ramasar have, however, say that Pascal Siakam and the Toronto Raptors' underwhelming performances since the Orlando Bubble have played a huge role in the NBA trade rumor mill speculating the player's exit.
The Raptors couldn't play their home games in Toronto last season due to COVID-19 restrictions back home. That created a huge impact on the team's performances, as they missed the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign.
The Toronto Raptors seem keen to go through a rebuilding process to get back into championship contention. Not trading Pascal Siakam seems to be a wise decision in that regard, as he can help them develop faster.
There aren't many All-Star-caliber players available in the market, so finding a suitable trade partner for Siakam could be very difficult for the team.
Siakam is currently recovering from the surgery he underwent for his shoulder injury. He is expected to be on the sidelines for a month and a half.
Guess the Lakers players!
