Don’t expect a Pascal Siakam extension with the Toronto Raptors. With the 29-year-old All-Star forward heading into free agency this summer, extension talks have “not gotten anywhere,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on NBA Today. The Raptors declined to offer Siakam an extension over the summer and a deal does not appear to be imminent with just less than a month to go before the trade deadline. Without a new contract, Siakam is going to have a lot of control over where he’s traded to, Wojnarowski added. He can essentially veto a trade by conveying to interested teams that he will not sign an extension with whoever trades for him. The Indiana Pacers continue to be among the teams interested in Siakam, but Indiana can create enough cap space to sign Siakam outright this summer and is therefore reluctant to give up a lot in trade talks. “[The Pacers] don’t have to necessarily go out and give the really good young players that Masai Ujiri would love to get Jarace Walker for one or a Ben Mathurin because you have the flexibility to you know, hey, we can give this guy a max deal this summer without moving anything around,” Wojnarowski said. The Golden State Warriors have also conveyed interest in Siakam, but it’s difficult to see a pathway to a deal, according to Wojnarowski. The Warriors could trade Moses Moody or Jonathan Kuminga in a deal, but Golden State is believed to be reluctant to move their young prospects.
Siakam has been eligible for a four-year, $192 million deal with Toronto. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he does not sign an extension. The Raptors will still retain his Bird Rights if he’s not traded and can therefore offer more money and more term to Siakam than anyone else in free agency.
