Raptors at the blink of losing world star due to NBA’s trade rule and player’s…..

Trade value may be erratic, especially when the player in question is the Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam, who will soon become an unrestricted free agency.

Any team that currently trades for Siakam will be in a difficult situation with limited options if Siakam decides to depart come July 1st, since an NBA rule prohibits a receiving team from extending a player until six months after the acquisition.

And that gets us to the Kings of Sacramento.

Sacramento reportedly has an interest in Siakam and is prepared to put together a trade deal for him that includes Kevin Huerter and Harrison Barnes.

That offer doesn’t make sense for a player like Siakam, as one might expect. Keegan Murray, a second-year forward, is undoubtedly someone the Raptors are aiming to acquire, much like they acquired Immanuel Quickley from New York in the original Anunoby trade.

It makes sense, though, that the Kings are hesitant to part with their finest young player until knowing for sure whether Siakam will stay put.

(There are also real basketball issues, including the fact that Murray is a considerably better shooter—a particular area of the game where the Kings cannot afford to lose ground.)

First of all, the Raptors, not the Kings, would have to facilitate such an extension, and Sacramento would undoubtedly want to be the team on the opposite side of the table, negotiating a mutually beneficial agreement with their new star.Second, the maximum term of such a contract is two seasons, which isn’t exactly a long period for a player hoping to finish his present $136.9 million contract and earn a substantial salary.

Ultimately, knowing that he would forfeit his ability to choose his summer destination, Siakam has been reluctant to sign a contract with the Raptors.And that returns us to the main problem.The Raptors have the option to demand a premium price for Siakam, but given the aforementioned facts, it will be very challenging for Toronto to avoid being called on their bluff.

The Raptors would have to hope for a bidding battle between several parties, driving up the price, in order for Siakam to get a high-quality return.The three clubs that are frequently suggested as potential destinations for Siakam are the Kings, Atlanta Hawks, and Indiana Pacers; however, none of them seem interested in giving up the big ticket at this time.

The Raptors will not be pleased with it. In other words, they will ultimately have to accept the best offer on the table, regardless of how high they set the price for their All-Star forward, or else they run the chance of losing Siakam for nothing by entering unrestricted free agency. The Raptors lost former All-Star point guard Fred VanVleet to the Houston Rockets in unrestricted free agency last summer, and Team President Masai Ujiri would prefer to avoid that situation.

It all comes down to who can remain composed the longest in the Siakam situation, regardless of what happens.

Should Siakam be traded by the Raptors before the trade deadline on February 8th, it will be due to a mistake on the part of someone. That’s probably what they’re hoping for, too.