hippesthippo wrote:I'm gonna say the Raptors trade Pascal Siakam. They have his replacement already on a much cheaper contract and the Raptors aren't contenders right now.
Masai could go a number of different ways with assets acquired in a Siakam deal: package them with other assets [Ogugua, FVV, etc.] to get a true number #1 in the unlikely event that one becomes available.
He could also use the assets to maneuver the draft board and select their next #1 guy [if it isn't Scottie already].
Lastly, he could use the assets from a Pascal trade to acquire role players to surround a possible core built around Scottie [if he ends up a #1] either via trade or solid draft/development.
Couldn't disagree more.
Raptors don't look like they are at any risk of going into the tax before becoming contenders in Scottie's 3rd of 4th year.
If you look at Masai's decade plus as a GM, he trades off stars (Melo, Gay) rarely, and he moves them they exit their prime, not enter it.
The Raptors aren't where they were at in 2018, ready for a consolidation/upgrade trade to go for a Championship after averaging over 50 wins for 4 years 2015-18. It's more like a repeat of 2014, the last time they won 48 games with a young core, after being in the lottery in 2013. Masai was patient then, and I expect he'll be patient now.