The Raptors ended up being an early signal of the coming shift as Masai Ujiri negotiated extensions with both Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam. Ujiri willingly conceding spending power, albeit to retain two pivotal members of their championship team, helped clarify how little many front offices cared about maximizing 2020 cap space. It was unsurprising to see less flexible front offices like the 76ers (Ben Simmons) and Nets (Caris LeVert and Taurean Prince) lock up young players ahead of restricted free agency, but a group of teams that includes the Raptors, Grizzlies (Dillon Brooks) and Kings (Buddy Hield) deliberately gave up cap space, and that meaningfully reduced the league-wide spending power this summer.
Pascal Siakam Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: F
Born: 04/02/94
Height: 6-9 / 2.06
Weight:227 lbs. / 103 kg.
Salary: $2,351,838
Born: 04/02/94
Height: 6-9 / 2.06
Weight:227 lbs. / 103 kg.
Salary: $2,351,838
This year, Siakam earned enough votes to start, leaving no doubt that he belongs at the NBA’s glitzy annual showcase event with its biggest superstars. “I said before, I want to be a starter, I want to be an all-star – not a borderline all-star,” Siakam said. “But now it’s like, I want to stay there. I don’t want to be there for just one year. So there’s always something bigger to fish for.”
The Raps coaching staff will lead Team Giannis, with both Siakam and Kyle Lowry, chosen a reserve guard. “I’m going to be more happy for Pascal,” Lowry said when asked how it felt to get his sixth all-star nod.
Standing before Cameroonian kids with the Larry O’Brien Trophy this past summer, and now shining as an NBA all-star, he is providing the portrait of an African basketball superstar. “To be honest, I see more championships, I see MVP, I see so much more that I can accomplish,” Siakam said. “There’s no reason to be satisfied.”
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Confronting the realistic notion that the 27th pick doesn’t become a star, Siakam said, “This is what I envisioned for myself.” “I always thought it (All-Star team) was possible,” Siakam told USA TODAY Sports. “If you’re not trying to be the best then why are you there? It doesn’t matter where you get drafted. I always believed that I could be better than I was. I knew I had to work harder than everybody else not only because I started basketball late but also because I felt like I wasn’t where I was supposed to be.”
