When talking about individual improvement in the NBA, Pascal Siakam’s name has been mentioned more than anyone this year. Siakam has continued to impress fans with his efficiency and flashy finishing moves. It’s undeniable he’s a strong candidate for MIP.
Playing in his third professional season, Pascal is now a consistent starter for the Toronto Raptors. He’s entering a crucial point in his career, and how he plays will determine whether he gets paid in the future or not. So far, Siakam has done a great job making a name for himself. But how good can he really be?
Let’s begin by determining what makes him so good.
Strengths
Pascal Siakam may be one of the most well-rounded young players in the league, and his stats only help his case. He’s currently averaging 14.5 PPG while grabbing over 6 boards a night, but where he’s truly shined is his offensive efficiency. Pascal leads the league in 2-Pt Field Goal Percentage, and he’s top-three in both EFG% and TS%. Not only does his efficiency help him stand out individually, but he’s a huge reason why the Raptors are second in the NBA in FG%.
Siakam’s superb athleticism is something rarely seen in bigs, and this has proved to be a major advantage for him. On defense, he’s able to guard every position effectively due to his lateral quickness. His quick reflexes and long arms have enabled him to record 1.1 steals a game, but his physical ability doesn’t only help him on defense.
Using his speed and agility, Siakam has developed a signature spin move that’s been unstoppable, especially on fast-breaks. The Cameroonian is able to get to the paint whenever he wants, and his soft touch on the glass is hard to come by in a big man.
Ceiling: Draymond Green
As good as he is, Pascal Siakam has a to improve before he’s anything near a superstar player. However, one player that draws striking similarities to the 24-year-old is Draymond Green. Both men are unorthodox offensive players with impressive defensive tools. Being a former DPOY, Draymond is still superior to Siakam on the defensive end, but Pascal has made big strides in his defensive improvement, and his ability to lunge for steals looks a lot like Draymond’s. Both players run the floor spectacularly and are usually the first back on offense.
It’s hard to say whether Siakam will ever be considered a Hall of Fame candidate like Draymond, but if he continues his rapid improvement, he could very well end up making numerous All-Defensive Team appearances.
Concerns
Pascal Siakam has made enormous leaps in his game this season, but there’s still room for improvement. One area that could be improved is his strength. His height is average for a PF, and his 7’3″ wingspan complements his game perfectly. However, Siakam can have trouble matching up against bigger men on offense. Usually, he can finesse his way to the basket with his skill-set and length, but this doesn’t always work. In order for Pascal Siakam to become a dominant player in the league, he’ll need to bulk up.
Another aspect of Pascal’s game that could be better is his three-point shooting. Compared to last year, his shooting from deep has improved by a mile. Yet, in this modern game, Siakam will need to continue to work on his shot from beyond the arc in order to gain the respect of defenders. He’s currently averaging 33% on 0.6 3PA. If Pascal is able to improve his three-ball and become a threat from deep, he’ll bump up his scoring numbers and be given an even larger role in Toronto. For now, shooting is probably the weakest part of his game.
Conclusion
Pascal Siakam’s potential is hard to determine, but he’s one of the most unique players in the NBA. His versatility on defense and efficiency on offense has earned him more minutes for this Raptors squad, and his contributions have been huge. If he continues his pace of improvement, he may go down as one of the greatest players in Raptors’ history, and he’ll have, at least, a few All-Star appearances to his name.
It’s difficult to say whether the pace he’s on is sustainable, and if he does plateau, he may lose minutes to up-and-coming players OG Anunoby and Chris Boucher. Only time will tell if Pascal Siakam evolves into an elite defensive force, or if he becomes a spark-plug roleplayer for another team.