As the trade deadline is approximately a month away, trade rumors are circulating with a full roar. After the Toronto Raptors have finalized the deal, trading off OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks, another cloud looms over the front office. The February 8 deadline is inching closer, and the Raptors’ two-time All-NBA forward is the hottest name on the trade block.
Shams Charania of ‘The Athletic’ made a revelation on January 5, 2024, with a tweet on X (formerly Twitter). Charania bombarded the NBA fraternity with the news that the Sacramento Kings have pulled out of the Pascal Siakam trade talks. While there seem to be many suitors for the Cameroonian player, the Kings don’t seem to be the one. However, the Kings could have become fan favorites while bolstering their roster if they had acquired the 29-year-old Siakam.
The Sacramento Kings are deciding to pull out of the Pascal Siakam talks, sources say. Things can be fluid, but Kings-Raptors talks are now over. https://t.co/oQtwcbKtjF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 6, 2024
The Kings might lose the opportunity to gather another star player after recording a whopping 21-game victory in the first 34 regular-season games. The gameplay of the star forward, however, could provide an offensive boost to the team. On top of that, Siakam’s upcoming free agency was the perfect lure for the Kings to throw in a number.
While the Kings have opted to walk away for the time being, the deadline is still far away. In the meantime, there seems to be another contender that has entered the mix. As per NBA insiders, the Golden State Warriors have entered the discussion after the Kings took a back seat.
Landing spots for Pascal Siakam after the Sacramento Kings take an exit
Chris Haynes, NBA insider for TNT and the Bleacher Report, dropped another statement on January 5, 24′. As per Haynes, “There’s a wild horse team out there that I’ve been told to look out for by rival executives… The Golden State Warriors… I do think ultimately, this will be the trade deadline where Pascal is eventually moved.”
The Golden State Warriors are a team to watch for Pascal Siakam, per @ChrisBHaynes
“There’s a wild horse team out there that I’ve been told to look out for by rival executives…The Golden State Warriors… I do think ultimately, this will be the trade deadline where Pascal is… pic.twitter.com/q4bGBbq3me
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 5, 2024
The No. 11 seed in the Western Conference just won against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2024. However, the 2023–24 season has been a roller coaster ride for the team, as fans are questioning their dynasty. The Golden State Warriors have won 17 games as of now, lost 18, and now have slid under .500.
Apart from the Warriors, the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons are some teams that might budge with their offers. The star forward will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and therefore, the teams that are looking to trade him might offer a contract extension. Pascal is currently running on a $137 million contract with the Raptors and will be completing his eighth season with the team this year.
Although the former first-round pick has conveyed his interest in staying with the team for the long term, things might not work for the trailing Raptors this season.