WHY RAPTORS
Most people don't believe that DeAndre Ayton is happy to be back in Phoenix and rightfully so. This may end up being a situation like when Blake Griffin was traded by the Clippers in the same year of being given a new max contract except this time, no one would be shocked.
The Raptors have long needed a big man who can bring all that Ayton brings to the table on a consistent basis, and if Ayton has one thing going for him, it's consistency. Pretty much a lock to average a double double, the Raptors give up a high-quality player in Siakam simply because they can afford to. With OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes able to lock down the forward positions for years to come and Fred Vanvleet and Gary Trent holding it down at the guard positions, they can afford to move Siakam for a player of a similar caliber at a need position. They gain size and length and the FVV/Ayton as well as the Gary Trent/Ayton pick and roll will be a thing of beauty to watch. Not to mention with Anunoby/Barnes/Ayton on the floor. Adding to that defense, Fred Vanvleet missed an All-Defensive team last year by only one vote and Gary Trent has shown flashes at times. This team would truly be a championship contender with this starting lineup. Corey Joseph spent some years in Toronto and is a quality vet off of the bench. The Raptors are big man heavy. They could use a veteran guard backup and Cojo is the perfect fit.
WHY SUNS
I don't believe that coach Monty Williams believes he can win a championship with DeAndre Ayton and I don't believe that DeAndre Ayton wants to play for the franchise anymore after feeling utterly disrespected by them leading up to his free agency period. Going into the preseason, he still hadn't spoken with the coach even after signing a new contract. A lot was said through the media on both ends and it almost feels like when Stan Van Gundy and Dwight Howard's relationship went sour. The Suns were fully prepared to let Ayton go but they couldn't find anyone willing to compensate for what they desired for a player like DeAndre Ayton.
In this trade, the Suns don't necessarily obtain a player of Ayton's caliber, at least on the surface (more on that in a minute) but they become deeper with young blossoming big man talent that completely fits their needs and they receive a 2024 1st round pick from Detroit though it slightly protected. The stipulations I imagine for this pick is that it is top 5 protected, owed to Phoenix if it lands 6-18, and it goes to the Rockets per current stipulation if it lands 19-30.
Let's start with Richaun Holmes. At the center position, he is for sure a starter in this league so to have him backing up Sabonis seems wasteful and hindering. He was drafted to a franchise that has a reputation at this point for being HORRIBLE at developing their own young talent and giving up on them entirely too quickly. Holmes could truly blossom with a player like CP3 running point, and with a carved-out and consistent role, Holmes can easily average a double-double just as Ayton has done for the Suns. He has also flashed the potential to stretch things out to the perimeter. Achiuwa is actually a do-it-all grind-it-out type of big that championship contenders love. He would be a great young addition to the team. Harrison Barnes is shooting the 3-ball at a high clip (38-40%) and is a great veteran to have on the team! I'd actually love to see him on more championship contenders at this point in his career. He's still averaging 18 ppg. The Suns would have a perfect blend of youth, talent, and veteran leadership on their roster and less potential drama in the future between Coach Williams and Ayton. It's a win.
WHY KINGS
Though they trade Harrison Barnes, they gain a veteran back in Bojan Bogdanovich who is also expiring for about 1.5 million more. The real grab here is Saddiq Bey who has a 50-point game under his belt and would be superb playing the forward spot alongside Keegan Murray. Hamidou Diallo is still a very young, super athletic, defensively gifted shooting guard. You can never go wrong with that. The real plus is that they add draft capital that lands within the next 3 years though it would be top 3 protected, if it lands within 1-11 it would be theirs and if it lands outside of that it would go the Rockets IF they hadn't received their pick by then. This is complicated but doable. The Pistons can trade their picks owed to the Rockets if they are restricted to being within their "keeping range".
WHY PISTONS
Averaging 23 ppg, 8.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists on 49% shooting along with great defense, an ability to create his own shot, and a decent passing ability, somehow Siakam has become a very undervalued player. In my opinion the Pistons could only hope that Saddiq Bey could impact the game in so many ways as Siakam. I want you to imagine a Jaden Ivey, Cade Cunningham, Siakam, Marvin Bagley, Jalen Duren (or Isaiah Stewart) fast break. That is scary! So many lob threats for the guards. The Pistons have completely struggled in transition because of their lack of speed. With so much other young talent and one of them being a Bey replacement such as Isaiah Livers, the Pistons can afford to trade every player in this trade, they have loads of cap space to build around the roster, and they can give up the picks that they do (while adding one in 2023) because they still have loads of youth. If I really have to explain the future potential of a Siakam trade, I don't think you should be evaluating this at all.