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.
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