Trade & FA 2023-24: Stein-Ingram Trade Inevitable| LAL Want Lebron Back On Any Terms

[SleepingHero]

So, Ideally NewPF can create for themselves and others and hit a 3 (think Bojan/Kuzma/Grant), but also defend and rebound (think Not Bojan/Kuzma/Grant).  We've talked about a ton of names and no one who is available seems to fit the bill.  A backup C is another position where there is disagreement about.  Do we run 48 minutes of a similar skill set or do we need a differentiated skill set (a better and healthy Maxi).  

The person you are describing is Pascal Siakam. 

Ability to create for themselves? Check. 

Ability to hit a 3? Back when Pascal had an actual point guard setting him up, and another star to take the bulk pressure, he was a solid 3pt shooter. 21-22 he shot 36.5% on catch and shoot 3s. 37.4% if he was wide open. This trend holds in 20-21, 19-20, and 18-19 (C&S numbers respectively for the years: 31.3% 36.1%, 38.1%). I am confident that Pascal's looks at 3 will raise his percentages significantly playing next to Kyrie and Luka. Case in point DJJ. 

Ability to play defense and be a versatile defender? Check. Pascal is 6'8 230lbs. He can move his feet like DFS to keep up with shifty guards and is big enough to bother centers. His defensive acumen is well known at this point, and although he isn't a lockdown defender by any means, he certainly fits the mold of the type of forward Kidd likes in his scheme. He's big enough to play a small ball 5 and shifty enough to stop an opposing teams 2-guard. 

Ability to rebound? Check. He's a career 6.5rpg guy. Last 5 years that's closer to 8rpg. 

I don't think we have to overthink this. Pascal has been on the list of most ideal players we've wanted next to Luka for the last 3 years. He checks all the boxes. His shooting is spotty, but his self creation (AND efficiency) cancels that out. My only concern is his desire for a max deal and perhaps want to be next to Embiid. Mavs could theoretically offer 5/249 this summer. Any other team's max is 4/185. That's a significant difference. Even 5/220 blows any other offer out the water and still keeps Pascal making close to what both Luka and Kyrie are making annually. 

If we let it get to the summer, the Mavs have no leverage. Everything is on the table besides the core you laid out of Luka, Kyrie, Lively Green, Exum, Omax, DJJ core to me. I'd ideally try and keep Grant, but if they're not apart of the core they are available.