Trade Rumor: Mavs Believe Pascal Siakam is ‘Missing Piece’ for Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving?

The Mavs are among various NBA teams linked as possible trade suitors for Raptors star Pascal Siakam. Some inside the organization view him as a "missing piece."

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks enter Saturday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans with a 23-16 record, placing them sixth in the Western Conference standings. With Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs are a team to watch ahead of the NBA trade deadline. 

During a recent appearance on the "Locked on Mavs" podcast, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that members of the Mavs organization view Siakam as a potential "missing piece" for the team to contend for a title.

“I know there are absolutely people in Dallas who really think Pascal is a missing piece that could potentially pair with Luka [Doncic] and Kyrie Irving, and all of a sudden you look up, and the Mavericks off are a legitimate contender in the West," Fischer said.

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Siakam has averaged 22.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 38 games this season, shooting 52.6 percent from the floor, 33.1 percent on 3-pointers, and 75.3 percent on free throws. He began the season in a 3-point shooting slump, going 19.8 percent through 20 games, but has since shot 50.9 percent in his last 18 games.

There has yet to be much traction with Siakam and any specific trade suitor, given his lack of communicated desire to be willing to re-sign. Dallas was willing to take such a risk to acquire Irving, who was playing on an expiring contract. Would they be willing to do the same for Siakam?

The Mavs would need to be willing to pay a premium to re-sign Siakam, viewing him as a true third option that would complement Doncic and Irving to take the next step as contenders. For a team seeking a power forward upgrade, it would naturally align to be pursuing a top option on the market.

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For a team with few 6-foot-8 or taller rotation players, Siakam would present an option that adds needed size at the four spot while also providing another player who can make plays off the dribble. For a team with a superstar in Doncic, who gets blitzed more than anyone, a threat to overpower defenses in screening actions could enhance the Mavs' offense to new heights.  

Among the obstacles, the Mavs face in such a trade outlook remains the lack of premier young players to trade since Dereck Lively II isn't a viable option to part with, given his importance as a rim protector and interior play finisher.