SUMMARY
- Pascal Siakam, previously linked to various teams, is now unexpectedly connected to trade talks with the Chicago Bulls.
- Recent reports suggest that trade discussions are progressing, with NBA insider Chris Haynes indicating a potential trade-off.
The hottest name on the trade block was linked to many teams, be it the Philadelphia 76ers, the Sacramento Kings, and many others. Although the entire league was aware that the Chicago Bulls and the Toronto Raptors were going to be the sellers as the trade deadline approached, no one seemed to guess that Siakam would be linked to the Bulls. A tweet on @TheDunkCentral dropped a bombshell revelation regarding teams that Pascal Siakam can land into.
The tweet highlights a quote from what a Western Conference executive said regarding a potential landing spot for ‘Spicy P’. It read, “It very well could be to a team that no one knows. Like the Bulls.” This quote is an extract from an article on ‘Hoops Wire’ authored by Sam Amico on January 11, 2024.
“It very well could be to a team that no one knows. Like the Bulls.”👀
– Western conference executive on potential landing spots for Pascal Siakam
(Via https://t.co/N3XjJVPeGc) pic.twitter.com/IJaaccEAt0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 12, 2024
The NBA fraternity was also considering the possibility that the star forward of the Raptors would be offered an extension until he hits free agency. One thing to note here is that, since there is no positive response from the player about signing again with the same team, it was highly likely for the teams that have a maximum contract cap space to back off and offer a deal only when he hits free agency.
However, as per Chris Haynes of The Bleacher Report, Siakam and the Raptors are inching closer to a potential trade-off. Another argument that supports the claim is that many teams list healthy players to sit out certain games, as they don’t want to invite any unforeseen injuries. Pascal Siakam didn’t play the game against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 10, 2024, as the team made him sit out due to back spasms.
How will Pascal Siakam fit into the Chicago Bulls team?
The Bulls have a repository of some high-potential players. The Big Three of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vučević can land the Bulls a better spot. Not only that, the team even has some talented young players like Coby White, Patrick Williams, and Dalen Terry who could complement the gameplay of Pascal Siakam.
Pascal Siakam is riding on an average of 22.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, with 52.5% shooting from the field in 37 games. Not only that, the star forward even won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award in 2019. Along with that, he was a major reason why the Raptors won their first championship in 2019 over the Golden State Warriors.
With Siakam on the roster, the Bulls could become a competitive playoff team. Currently, the Bulls are 9th in the Eastern Conference and are still under speculation about whether they will stand as a contender in the pay-off contention or not.
Siakam is a former NBA All-Star and a do-it-all forward. Furthermore, his floor spacing skills and the ability to maintain his gameplay on both ends of the court will highly benefit the Bulls. As the news has dropped, there is speculation that the Raptors, the Bulls, and the Sacramento Kings might end up in a three-way deal.