Raptors Twitter sad, frustrated with Pascal Siakam trade after a legendary run: 'Damn this one hurts'

There are a lot of emotions flowing through Raptors Twitter, as they say goodbye to a franchise great.

Bryan Meler
·Senior Editor, Yahoo Canada
Updated ·10 min read
(left) Pascal Siakam and Masai Ujiri pose with their NBA Championship rings. (right) NBA fan's X post on how sad he is about Siakam being traded from the Raptors
Pascal Siakam will always be remembered as an NBA Champion with the Toronto Raptors. (Credit: David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images/@ThatDudeMCFLY/X)

It's the end of an era for the Toronto Raptors, after they traded away long-time favourite Pascal "Spicy P" Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. Naturally, Raptors fans are in their feels, saying goodbye to arguably the best success story in franchise history.

Drafted in 2016 with the 27th overall pick, it would have been very hard to imagine that Siakam's career would have played out the way it has. The "little scrawny kid from Cameroon" worked his way through the system, which meant spending time in the developmental G-League, until he became a fixture in the Raptors' starting lineup.

The world then got to see how truly special he is when he became a go-to option as part of Toronto's NBA Championship run in 2019.

Following the departure of Kawhi Leonard, Siakam helped usher in a new era of Raptors basketball. It wasn't always pretty, but as a true professional he kept improving his game, on his way to a pair of All-NBA and All-Star accolades.

After almost eight seasons with the team, he finishes in the Top 5 all-time in Raptors franchise history for games played, points, assists and rebounds.

With his departure, Raptors fans are taking to Twitter (officially known as "X") to look back on his greatest achievements, paying their thanks for his contributions to both the team and Toronto community, while also critiquing Masai Ujiri and management for how the trade unfolded.

It's now officially a new day for the Raptors, as they say goodbye to the final piece of an iconic period for the franchise.

While it's OK to be sad about the past, it's important to cherish it, too.

Siakam's career with the Raptors was exciting and inspiring, as he pushed himself and the team to new heights.

That also includes creating an impact that goes far beyond the game of basketball.

Obviously, the news has been hard for the Raptor players and staff to digest themselves.

Of the 2019 NBA Championship team, it's now only Chris Boucher who remains.

Like with all trades, they'll be scrutinized, and this one is no exemption. For dealing Siakam to the Pacers, the Raptors received Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, two 2024 first-round picks and one conditional 2026 first-round pick, as well as Kira Lewis from the New Orleans Pelicans, who helped facilitate the trade.

Brown is a solid piece, one that was integral to the Denver Nuggets' championship run in 2023. If the Raptors decide to keep him, it gives them a stellar defensive stopper who can guard the other team's best player.

When it comes to the picks, some Raptors fans are disgruntled, given that the 2024 Draft class is expected to be weak — messaging Toronto management relayed last year when they traded a pick in that draft to acquire Jakob Poeltl. Many believed the Raptors waited too long to trade Siakam, which impacted the haul they received in exchange. The picks from the Pacers are also expected to be late-first rounders; but to be fair, Spicy P was the 27th pick in his draft.

How good this trade really is will ultimately be judged depending on if Siakam ends up re-signing with the Pacers this offseason, when he can test free agency. In the long run, it's the reason why the Raptors decided to trade him — and O.G. Anunoby a couple weeks earlier — to not risk losing him for nothing, as they did with Fred VanVleet last summer.

Despite that, some don't believe the Siakam situation was handled well. His name was included in trade speculation for years, all while the Raptors didn't jump at the opportunity to extend him when given the chance. It created an awkward tension, one that Siakam played through with professionalism, as he proved why he's one of the NBA's best players.

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