Bradley Beal, Jordan Poole, Kristaps Porzingis and Chris Paul moved just before the 2023 NBA draft, but plenty of superstar trade business remains unfinished.
The Portland Trail Blazers seem to be waiting for Damian Lillard to request relocation, a wise move considering his iconic status and the bad press that'd accompany moving him without his blessing. Not only that, but the LA Clippers may still be itching for change after their deal with the Boston Celtics fell through. And the looming specter of a big Toronto Raptors deal refuses to die.
The draft is a wrap, and free agency is just around the corner. Here, we've got a few high-profile hypothetical trades to consider as the NBA's transactional apex approaches.
Pascal Siakam to the Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Pascal Siakam
Toronto Raptors Receive: Anfernee Simons, Kris Murray, Rayan Rupert and Nassir Little
The Blazers don't "truly covet" either Siakam or OG Anunoby, per Yahoo! Sports' Jake Fischer. But that report referred to Portland's reticence to move the No. 3 pick, which became Scoot Henderson. The Blazers might feel a little more covetous if the headliner of a package for Siakam were a less valuable asset, like Simons.
Siakam tanked his trade value (perhaps purposely?) by suggesting he wouldn't re-sign with a team if traded away from Toronto, per Matt Moore of the Action Network. If he's more of a rental than a keeper, that changes everything. Not only is Henderson off the table in that scenario, but so is Shaedon Sharpe.
The Blazers could have a shot to land Siakam with Simons as the main outgoing asset, provided they attach some young pieces like 2023 draftees Murray and Rupert, plus Little for some salary filler.
With Fred VanVleet possibly departing in free agency, the Raptors have a glaring hole at the point—one Simons, a 24-year-old with a career 38.7 percent hit rate from deep, could fill.
If Toronto intends to run it back with the same core, retaining Siakam and hoping it can re-sign him for less than the max next summer makes sense. But if a soft reset is in the cards, moving Siakam for some value now could be the better play. The alternatives—maxing him out or losing him for nothing—are scary.
From Portland's perspective, swapping out Simons from a suddenly crowded backcourt for a two-time All-Star forward gives Damian Lillard a top-flight running mate—if only for one season.