10 Players the Nets may replace Ben Simmons with by the trade deadline
By Tyler Watts
3. Pascal Siakam
The Raptors missed the playoffs in 2023 and lost Fred VanVleet in free agency. It is a make-or-break season for this roster. Pascal Siakam, OG Anunboy, and Gary Trent Jr. can all be free agents in the summer of 2024, so they must prove they can contend or enter a rebuild.
Siakam was in trade rumors this summer and will be the prized asset if the Raptors start a fire sale. The two-time All-Star fits on any roster. He’s a 6’9 forward who can score 22 points, grab eight rebounds, and dish out five assists every night. Siakam plays massive minutes and can do a bit of everything for a contender.
If the Raptors decide to completely rebuild, they should trade Siakam for the best available package. He is on an expiring contract, so three first-round picks would likely be the top offer any team would even consider giving up for the two-time All-Star. The Nets certainly have the assets, and Ben Simmons could be used as the matching salary.
If the Nets start Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Pascal Siakam, and Nicolas Claxton, they will be formidable on both ends of the floor. That lineup does not have the star power of the Bucks, Celtics, or 76ers, but matches up well on paper against any of the other teams. Expect Sean Marks to make a call if Siakam becomes available.