Proposed 3-team blockbuster trade lands star due $202 million contract

The Atlanta Hawks are rolling into the regular season with the roster they have barring some unforeseen change. But they were a staple in trade rumors this offseason, and none were more prevalent than their rumored pursuit of Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam.

Amid reports that he and the Raptors have made no headway on a contract extension, the idea the Hawks might pounce is still on the minds of some.

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report offered up this three-team trade to get Siakam to Atlanta:

“Giving up two rotation wings and a first-round pick may seem like a hefty price tag for Siakam, but Atlanta may be in a unique position to do so,” Bailey wrote on October 7. “A consolidation trade makes sense when Atlanta is getting a player who has averaged more than 20 points per game in each of his last four seasons.”

Siakam has the resume to back up the hefty price tag as a former champion, two-time All-NBA selection and All-Star, and 20-point-per-game scorer. But trading for him comes with inherent risk given he is in the final year of his contract.

And he has already made it clear that he only wants to sign an extension with the Raptors, looking to free agency next offseason if he is indeed traded.

That is a tough proposition for a Hawks team looking to prove itself.

They do, however, have a seemingly glaring hole at power forward after trading John Collins to the Utah Jazz this offseason. Atlanta has Saddiq Bey and Jalen Johnson as in-house options for head coach Quin Snyder. But both players come with as many questions as answers when it comes to filling Collins’ role as a defender and rebounder last season.

LaRavia is a forward with good size and potential to be a plus-shooter from beyond the arc with further development.

Hawks’ willingness to pursue Raptors’ Pascal Siakam is telling

De’Andre Hunter was one of the Hawks mentioned in trade rumors this offseason – the other prominent name was Clint Capela. But losing Bogdanovic and Hunter would be a substantial loss with younger and more unproven players behind them.

Adding Siakam would arguably raise the Hawks’ ceiling. But it could also lower their floor.

Their success would be tied invariably to all three stars’ health since their depth would be depleted, especially with the loss of Bogdanovic, a legitimate Sixth-Man of the Year candidate.

An extension would likely be worded to pay Siakam whatever 30% of the salary cap was in any given season, per Eric Koreen of The Atheltic (subscription required), a number that comes out to roughly $202 million. Short of that, the Hawks would be trading away controlled assets for one destined for free agency which is always risky.

Both Bogdanovic and Hunter are under contract through the 2026-27 season. Their fit with this current group focused around Trae Young and Dejounte Murray is also clearer than Siakam’s might be as another player who is used to having the ball in his hands a substantial amount.

However, Atlanta’s long-rumored interest suggests they indeed feel the need to add another star-caliber player to the roster.

Whether or not that ends up being Siakam, though, remains to be seen.

We will get our first look at the starting lineup on October 10 when the Hawks host the Cleveland Cavaliers.