In Toronto, all eyes are on the development of young stud Scottie Barnes, who is looking to build upon his Rookie of the Year campaign from last year. If he can step up and become the star fans believe he can be, it could unlock a bright future for the Raptors.
But if Toronto hopes to make ground in the East, they will also need to play off of star swingman Pascal Siakam, who emerged as a star for the Raptors during Kawhi’s run with the team.
This season, while he still has a long way to go, Siakam is proving that he can be the guy his team needs him to be. Yesterday, after dropping 37 points and 13 rebounds against the Nets, he officially became the first player with multiple 30-point triple-doubles in Raptors history.
Pascal Siakam tonight:
37 PTS
13 REB
11 AST
15-20 FG
He is the first player with multiple 30-point triple-doubles in Raptors history. pic.twitter.com/tSidOQ4wKk
— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 22, 2022
Pascal Siakam Is The Future Of The Toronto Raptors
For the Raptors, the entire trajectory of their team depends on Siakam and how he performs going forward. If he hits his peak as a star and leader, the Raptors will become a dangerous squad in the East. If not, he may just need more time to blossom.
Either way, the Raptors are going to be relevant in one way or another.
In a recent segment on ‘NBA Today,’ league Insider Brian Windhorst talked about another team possibly making some noise: the Toronto Raptors. While they might lack some of the depth of their competitors, Windhorst says that a mid-season trade could change everything.
“The Toronto Raptors will be a spoiler in the Eastern Conference, which they were last year. But everybody ticks off teams they think will win the East, nobody talks about the Raptors and they are primed to make a mid-season trade.”So, my hot take is to watch out for the team North of the Border to create some havoc in the East this year.”
Currently, the Raptors have a pretty stacked team. With star forward Pascal Siakam, two-way wing OG Anunoby, sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr., and rookie of the year Scottie Barnes, the Raptors already have a solid group of players in the rotation.
The Raptors have a pretty solid roster on paper, and head coach Nick Nurse has already proven himself to be one of the smartest minds in his field.
So while it may not look like it now, the Raptors are shaking up to surprise some people this year, and things could get very interesting if Pascal Siakam kicks his game to another level this campaign.
