Clippers Pursued Trade For Raptors’ Pascal Siakam

The Los Angeles Clippers were interested in trading for Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam at the 2023 trade deadline, according to NBA insider Zach Lowe of ESPN. The Raptors wound up keeping Siakam, who is entering the final year of his contract.

“The Clippers were interested,” Lowe said on his podcast. “I just don’t know what the Clippers have.”

Siakam was teammates with Kawhi Leonard on the Raptors. The two All-Stars helped Toronto win the 2019 championship over the Golden State Warriors in six games. It would have been fascinating to see Leonard and Siakam reunite in Los Angeles.

Siakam signed a four-year, $136 million rookie contract extension with the Raptors in October 2019. He will make $37.9 million in 2023-24. The swingman averaged 24.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists last season while shooting 48.0% from the field, 32.4% from beyond the arc and 77.4% from the free-throw line.

Toronto lost the 9-10 play-in game to the Chicago Bulls and didn’t make the 2023 playoffs. Nick Nurse was fired as head coach and replaced by Darko Rajakovic.

Opposing front offices still believe the Raptors’ high valuation of their players, such as Siakam and OG Anunoby, marks the biggest roadblock to any potential trade. The Portland Trail Blazers were once linked to Siakam, but they won’t be pursuing him anymore since Damian Lillard has requested a trade.

The Atlanta Hawks, though, are still interested in acquiring Siakam, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Grange reported before free agency started on June 30 that the Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings inquired about the possibility of a Siakam trade.

Any team trying to trade for Siakam must be careful, as according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT, Siakam prefers to stay with the Raptors and the forward may not re-sign with a team who trades for him.