NBA Rumors: Bradley Beal & Davis Bertans Could Be Headed To Raptors For Package Centered On Pascal Siakam
With the Toronto Raptors struggling this season, team president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri is expected to aggressively search for major roster upgrades before the 2021 trade deadline. Despite numerous calls for them to undergo a full-scale rebuild, Ujiri and the Raptors refuse to take that route and want to remain a competitive team in the Eastern Conference. In a recent article, Greg Patuto of NBA Analysis Network suggested a blockbuster deal that would bring Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans of the Washington Wizards to Toronto.
In the proposed trade scenario, the Raptors would be sending a package that includes Pascal Siakam, Norman Powell, Malachi Flynn, a 2022 first-round pick, and a 2024 first-round pick to the Wizards in exchange for Beal and Bertans. If the deal goes through, Patuto believes it would help both teams improve their rosters.
For the Wizards, the suggested trade would allow them to acquire the assets that they need to jumpstart a rebuild in the post-Beal era.
“This would land the Wizards a large return. It begins with Pascal Siakam. He would become a focal point of the Wizards’ long-term rebuild but in the meantime, would form a one-two punch alongside Russell Westbrook. Norman Powell and Malachi Flynn are rotation players that would help Washington during their rebuild. The two-first round picks are also a huge part of this deal. The Wizards have sorely lacked depth for years and this would certainly help to address that weakness.”
Trading Siakam would be a difficult decision for the Raptors. Since Kawhi Leonard left them in the summer of 2019, most considered Siakam as the player that would lead the team to their second championship. However, sacrificing him — together with two future first-rounders — would be worth it if it means acquiring an All-Star-caliber shooting guard in Beal and a floor-spacing big man in Bertans.
Beal would give the Raptors a superstar who is capable of fulfilling the role as their main guy on the offensive end of the floor. Aside from being a prolific scorer, he’s also a decent playmaker and an elite three-point shooter. This season, he’s averaging 34.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Meanwhile, Bertans may have had some ups and downs since the season started, but once he regains his rhythm and shooting touch, he would be an incredible acquisition for Toronto. Adding Beal and Bertans to the core of Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, and Aron Baynes would give the Raptors a better chance of reaching the playoffs and make them a tougher team to face in a best-of-seven series.
