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

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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.

The player you're talking about is not the current Pascal Siakam.

You're correct in that he can create for himself.  He is a clever and efficient finisher offensively.  That's true.  That's his strength.  

He doesn't fit this roster thoough.  He is a poor 3-point shooter.  In fact, he's shooting less than 30% from 3 this season.  That's really bad.  Would he shoot better playing off Luka?   Probably.  However, that's still a weakness.  It doesn't matter that he was once decent 3-point shooter.  He is now a poor shooter from distance.

Defense?  He does have good size and long arms.  He could probably be a plus defender.  However, he is not a good defensive player currently.  His DPM is 0.0.  That's exactly average.  Would he choose to work harder on defense if we traded for him?  Maybe Jason Kidd could motivate him to work harder on defense.  Maybe Siakam will think Kidd's an asshole though and choose to relax on defense.  Regardless, Siakam is not a plus defender at this time.  I don't see why that would improve as he hits his 30s.

Rebounding?  He is at 6.7 rebounds per 36 minutes this season.  He was once a better rebounder but that is no longer a strength.  In fact, Dwight Powell who everyone complains about is a better rebounder than Siakam as he's at 8.6 rebounds per 36.  

Siakam is a talented player but I think his strength isn't really what we need.  You're assuming he would improve his 3-point shooting, rebounding and defense if he played on the Mavs and I believe that's too many assumptions to make.  He's either not trying his hardest as a Raptor or he's on the decline.  Neither option seems very appealing to trade for.  We'd be giving up all our available to assets to acquire him.  Then we'd have to pay a maximum contract to retain him.  That seems like we'd be guaranteeing a mediocre future.  

I'm on the side of either acquiring a good role player (Gafford, Isaiah Stewart) or just waiting.  I think Siakam is the wrong answer for so many reasons.