Stars not aligning for Raptors’ Pascal Siakam

Maybe it’s for the best that Toronto’s most reliable performer wasn’t among the reserves for the All-Star Game. He could probably use a weekend off.

HOUSTONWhen Pascal Siakam played in his first NBA All-Star Game back in 2020, it felt like the beginning of something big for the Toronto Raptors.

Sure, the Raptors had just lost Kawhi Leonard to free agency and the Los Angeles Clippers, which couldn’t help but dim their banner-raising glow. Losing superstars for nothing always exacts a toll on a franchise.

But as Siakam used the first half of the post-championship season to explore the void left by Leonard and grow his game to fit it — well, no one was pretending he was Leonard. But no one could…