Pascal Siakam has “gotta be ‘The Man'” for Toronto, according to Raptors head coach Nick Nurse.
With Kawhi Leonard no longer in the picture for the defending NBA champs, the pressure to deliver falls squarely on Siakam’s shoulders.
The 25-year-old forward is coming off a Most Improved Player campaign in 2018-19, and Nurse belives “the sky’s the limit” for him.
Per Yahoo Sports Canada:
“I just think his next step in progression is being ‘The Man,’” Nurse told Yahoo Sports Canada. “Instead of being a complementary guy next to ‘The Man,’ he’s gotta be ‘The Man’ — the primary scorer and the primary option and the late-game scorer.”
Having established himself as an interior scorer, Nurse says the next step in Siakam’s development will take place on the perimeter.
“He really can play anywhere,” Nurse said of Siakam. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we almost make him like a point forward, where he’ll handle the ball a lot up the floor.”
His ceiling won’t necessarily hit MVP levels, but Siakam does have a decent shot of challenging for an All-NBA team next year.
“There’s lots of little steps left to climb yet for him,” Nurse said of Siakam, “And I think the sky’s the limit.”
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