Update: Siakam to miss at least two weeks with adductor strain

The Toronto Raptors announced Sunday morning that Pascal Siakam has been diagnosed with a right adductor strain. Siakam was injured when he slipped on a wet spot on the floor Friday night vs. the Dallas Mavericks.

The team says that Siakam will be re-evaluated in two weeks, indicating that his return is at least that far away.

The adductor muscle is one that basically connects the inner thigh to the groin. Siakam missed 11 games in 2019-20 with a groin injury, and didn’t look like himself for several weeks after he came back.

While there’s never a good time for an injury, if you have to have one, I suppose it’s better to have it earlier in the season. Hopefully Siakam (and Fred VanVleet, who’s been dealing with a back issue) can get right and come back with a long runway to get back into shape and healthy for the rest of the year.

Siakam is having a sensational start to the season, one that his him in (very early!) MVP discussions. He averaging 25 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists through nine games with six double-doubles and two triple-doubles. The assists have truly been the most impressive; as defences have focused in on him, Siakam is showing improved playmaking chops and finding teammates all over the floor.

That creation/playmaking aspect is what the Raptors will most most, especially if VanVleet remains out while Siakam is recovering; that’s basically two of three best creators on the team, and the third, Scottie Barnes, is still young and, ah, a little erratic at times.

With VanVleet out, Nick Nurse has gone big in the starting lineup, giving Christian Koloko the start at the five and having Barnes or Siakam initiate the offense. I expect Nurse to continue starting Koloko, but I expect another playmaker to join him — likely, Malachi Flynn, or perhaps, in a slightly more off-the-wall move, Thad Young.

Then again, if I know VanVleet, as soon as he hears Siakam is out he’ll be insisting he’s ready to return. We’ll find out tonight!