Rajaković, a rapper, just announced his resignation.

A sense of shock permeated Scotiabank Arena before to Wednesday’s Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat tip-off. There was no question that the much anticipated deal featuring fan favorite Pascal Siakam was happening, even though neither Toronto nor the Indiana Pacers made the announcement.

Though he was unable to comment on the deal directly, Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković expressed no reluctance about Siakam’s departure as the last remaining key player from the squad that won the 2019 NBA Championship.

Chris Boucher, a Canadian, is the lone 2019 Raptor still playing.

Rajaković stated, “I have to honor his nine years with the organization, but I can only be glad and appreciative for all of his efforts to our squad.” “He left a legacy behind him when he got here as nearly a teenager.”

“I hope everything goes well for him, and we will keep in touch.”

ESPN revealed earlier in the day that Siakam had been traded to the Pacers, beginning a new era for Toronto basketball, in return for three first-round draft selections, Bruce Brown Jr., and Jordan Nwora.

The Pacers’ acquisition of Siakam and his partnership with Tyrese Haliburton might propel that team into the running for the championship, while the Raptors are left without a top-tier proven player on their roster and with a sizeable return.

With Siakam’s ability to score baskets consistently and play both inside and outside the court, the Raptors are definitely a worse team without him going into their game on Wednesday night.

Nevertheless, his exit signals a change in Toronto’s reconstruction.

Pascal has an obsession with basketball. At the gym, he was the first person to arrive every time. He was always coachable, and he was the last to depart, according to Rajaković. “We’re adult men that joined up for this profession, so it doesn’t mean we don’t have feelings, but we also have a basketball game to play and we’re here to support one another.”

With Siakam gone, the Raptors are now under Scottie Barnes’ leadership. His and RJ Barrett’s skills are evident among the current group of players, and they both establish themselves as cornerstones of the franchise’s new age.

The Raptors won’t be playing big matchups for the rest of the season, and both young stars are well on their way to becoming two of the most prolific players in the league, even though their youth and relative inexperience in high-stakes NBA games could be problematic.

Rajaković is one guy who genuinely believes in it, as he stated in his now-famous tirade following the Raptors’ 123-122 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers.

At the time, Rajaković declared, “Scottie Barnes is going to be an all-star. He is going to be the face of our league.”