4 stars the 76ers should have on their 2023 Christmas wish list

4 stars the 76ers should have on their 2023 Christmas wish list

4. Pascal Siakam — PF (Toronto Raptors)

Pascal Siakam is another star who’s believed to be on the trading block. It’s unknown how the market will shape up for a star entering unrestricted free agency next year, but the Toronto Raptors would be plain stupid to disregard the fact that he can leave the franchise for nothing if they don’t act fast and capitalize on his value.

With Toronto restructuring things around Scottie Barnes, Siakam is a safe bet to play elsewhere next season, if not this year. But trading for Siakam when one can sign him outright in free agency is not very appealing, and for the 76ers, this might just be the way to go if they are eyeing the All-Star forward.

Siakam’s skillset is not the most seamless to integrate, especially with Philadelphia already having a dominant interior force in Embiid, but the 29-year-old is quite versatile in that he can camp in the perimeter not just to space the floor, but to also make plays on the secondary as a pick-and roll partner, where he’s become most lethal.

Setting aside the intriguing fit on offense, Siakam is a perfect do-it-all player who is a massive factor on the defensive end. He can virtually guard every position, even if that part of his game has become clouded a tad by his offensive load. Better yet, he has ample experience with Nick Nurse, who oversaw his growth from a role player on a championship team to an All-NBA caliber forward.