Grade the trade idea: Wizards get involved in a Siakam-to-Indiana trade
By Cem Yolbulan
The peak of the transaction period may be over in the NBA, but the business is not done. There are still plenty of dominoes to fall before the 2023-24 season. The biggest uncertainties remaining so far are Damian Lillard and James Harden. However, there is another All-Star player who can be on the move who has gone under the radar in trade discussions: Pascal Siakam. The 29-year-old is attracting interest from various teams around the league, and the Washington Wizards can take advantage of the situation to get involved as a third team in a Siakam deal.
One of the main suitors for Pascal Siakam is the Indiana Pacers. There has been reporting on the fact that Siakam may not be interested in re-signing with the team that acquires him, but if that issue were to be resolved, he would be a fantastic fit on the Indiana Pacers next to Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner.
Indiana has intriguing trade assets to make their package worthwhile for the Raptors. Yet, there is a chance it could be expanded to a three-team trade, and that third team could be the Washington Wizards who can take on an undesirable contract in exchange for a young player.
A potential trade construction between the three teams could look like this:
The Indiana Pacers get their player and build an exciting young team. In exchange, they give up Buddy Hield, Andrew Nembhard, Daniel Theis, and two first-round picks. Losing Nembhard hurts, but at least they hold onto their higher-profile young players like Ben Mathurin and Jarace Walker.
The Toronto Raptors receive a solid young player like Nembhard and two first-round picks as the main return. Depending on the protections on those first-rounders, they could end up being solid draft picks with upside. They also add Buddy Hield and Landry Shamet who fill an important need for a team desperate for any shooting.
On the Washington Wizards’ end, they receive Christian Koloko from Toronto and Daniel Theis from Indiana by giving up Shamet. Theis acts as a salary filler and is unlikely to play a part in Washington’s rotation. He could be waived or bought out once acquired. However, by accepting to take on his $9.1 million contract for next season, the Wizards add Christian Koloko from the Raptors.
The 33rd-overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Koloko is an intriguing 7-footer with an impressive rim protection ability. Considering the need for another big man in Washington, Koloko doesn’t only fill a rotation need but also gives the Wizards another prospect with upside as a developmental project.
The uncertainty about Pascal Siakam’s future remains, but in a potential deal with the Indiana Pacers, there is a way for the Washington Wizards to get involved and come out as winners. We will have to wait and see whether the Wizards’ front office thinks the same way.
