Pascal Siakam added to his All-Star and All-NBA case on Thursday with another big game.
In Toronto's 124-114 win over Charlotte, Siakam led all scorers with 35 points. He shot 11-for-13 from the field, 3-for-3 from 3-point range and 10-for-12 from the free throw line. He also recorded seven rebounds, three assists and one block.
While Siakam helped the Raptors win their third straight game to re-enter the Eastern Conference Play-In picture, his performance had Hall of Famer Charles Barkley wondering how him being traded, would impact the title race.
"If [the Raptors] trade Siakam, he could make a team the favorites to win the championship," Barkley said on TNT's Inside the NBA.
Pascal dropped a game-high 35 PTS on 85% (11-13) shooting and added 7 REB & 3 AST in the @Raptors win over Charlotte! #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/jvX602cpnS
— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) January 13, 2023
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A one-time champion with an All-Star selection and two All-NBA selections to his name, Siakam is having a career year. He's averaging 26.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists through 32 games, doing so on 48.2 percent shooting from the field.
Despite Siakam's best efforts, the Raptors have a losing record (19-23) around the midpoint of the season.
Some consider the Raptors the "first domino" to fall ahead of February's trade deadline because of their disappointing start. NBA insider Marc Stein recently reported that Gary Trent Jr. is "undeniably available," whereas it would take "lots — LOTS — to pry either" Siakam or O.G. Anunoby away from the Raptors.
Maybe the Raptors don't end up entertaining offers for Siakam, but it's not hard to think of some teams that could pursue him if he does become available.
The Raptors close a six-game homestand on Saturday when they host the Hawks. They will then play 10 of their next 12 games on the road, an important stretch that could frame how they approach the trade deadline.
