Pascal Siakam has been playing with the Toronto Raptors for the past three seasons. He is one of their most important players on both ends of the floor, and he’s had some great moments in his career. However, he also has some rough patches where he just doesn’t seem to be able to find his form.
Pascal Siakam Beefed With Nick Nurse All Season But Still Wants to Play for the Raptors. Pascal Siakam has been beefing with coach Nick Nurse all season but still wants to play for the Toronto Raptors.
Pascal Siakam had a dispute with head coach Nick Nurse all season and has been linked to a move in the last month or so. Despite this, he stays committed to Canada and the Toronto Raptors.
Siakam’s ascent to fame in the NBA was very linear throughout the course of his career. In 2019, he was a key member of Toronto’s championship-winning squad, and he was named to his first All-Star team the following season. During the 2024-21 season, though, Siakam’s difficulties in the Orlando “bubble” and a rocky relationship with Nurse raised doubts about his future with the team.
Despite recent turmoil, it seems that the future is safe.
Pascal Siakam and Nick Nurse had a number of squabbles.
It was stressful, and there were a lot of lines crossed. Pascal Siakam’s brawl with Nick Nurse went above and beyond the usual for player-coach spats, adding yet another layer of intrigue to a tumultuous Raptors season that is far from over: https://t.co/OxbxOB1CcW
March 24, 2024 — Michael Grange (@michaelgrange)
Pascal Siakam has been disciplined by the Raptors on many occasions this season.
At the end of December, Spicy P was benched for a game against the New York Knicks. However, that was nothing compared to the event that occurred just a few months later.
During a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers last month, Siakam and Nurse got into a violent argument. After seeing the second unit help Toronto claw back into the game, Nurse made the unusual choice to sit Siakam for the most of the fourth quarter.
Siakam started ripping on Nurse with “words above normal profanity,” according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. “It became personal, limits were broken, and teammates had to intervene…” Grange said.
Initially, it was reported that Siakam would be fined $50,000, however the Raptors denied this. Despite the fact that the situation was obviously escalating in Toronto, nothing came of it.
This summer, the Raptors made significant changes, most notably parting ways with veteran point guard Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat. However, it seems like Siakam and Nurse have patched things up, and the 27-year-old isn’t going anywhere.
Siakam is a Raptors fan who wants to stay with the team.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Siakam requested a move.
The Raptors, as previously said, are a team in transition. Siakam had his share of squabbles with his head coach, and seeing your name mentioned in trade rumors on a regular basis can’t be all that comfortable. Despite this, the Cameroonian want to remain in Toronto.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Siakam is intrigued by the prospect of returning to Toronto after spending the 2024-21 season in Tampa, Florida. While the Raptors’ front staff is listening to proposals, president Masai Ujiri is not aggressively looking for Siakam, according to him.
Nurse’s connection with the players has also strengthened after he was appointed head coach of the Canadian men’s basketball team. Things have been “smoothed out” on that front, according to Amick, who added that the two had been in contact over the summer.
All of this raises the question: does Siakam represent the Raptors’ next franchise player?
Spicy P will be held to a high standard in Toronto.
This season, Pascal Siakam and Nick Nurse will need to be on the same page | Getty Images/Rob Carr
Some may be surprised by Pascal Siakam’s statistics from last season, particularly considering the team’s internal turmoil.
Siakam had a career-high 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. His 5.4 free-throw attempts per game were his best of the season. He remained a good player.
The Raptors, on the other hand, did not offer Siakam a $130 million contract just because he is a “great” player. He was given the money because Toronto saw him as a potential cornerstone. It’s past time for him to accept his role as the franchise’s face, particularly now that Lowry has relocated to South Beach.
What are Siakam’s options for taking the next step? From beyond the arc, he’ll have to be more efficient. Last season, he shot less than 30% from three-point range. For a player who fails to create offense off the dribble, it won’t enough.
It’s a given that Siakam and Nick Nurse have patched up their differences in recent months, since the Raptors’ head coach will undoubtedly work hard with their star this season.
Basketball Reference provided the statistics.
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The raptors trade news is that Pascal Siakam has been beefed with Nick Nurse all season but still wants to play for the Raptors.
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