Pascal Siakam might no longer be a member of the Toronto Raptors, but it's clear that his tie to the organization will be a lifelong bond.

Sent earlier this week to the Indiana Pacers after playing eight seasons in Toronto, Siakam made sure to let fans in the city and across the country know exactly what they meant to him.

In an article released today for The Players' Tribune titled "Toronto Forever", Siakam detailed his emotions throughout the last few months while his name was in trade rumours, as well as a look back over the course of his whole career.

"Toronto made me feel like I belonged from day one," Siakam wrote, citing the city's cultural diversity as a factor that made him feel welcome. "It kind of let me take my guard down and be me. It was like, okay, if so many people somewhere are foreign… maybe you're not feeling as foreign."

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Siakam was picked 27th overall in the 2016 draft out of New Mexico State, and added an impressive list of honours during his 563 career regular season and playoff games with the franchise: the 2019 NBA title, two All-Star appearances, two All-NBA appearances, the 2018-19 NBA award for Most Improved Player, as well as a 2017 NBA D League Title where he won Finals MVP.

Siakam wrote in the article that he never asked for a trade, but understood the business of the NBA.

It was an emotional time for Raptors president Masai Ujiri, too, who was brought to tears multiple times in his press conference on Thursday.

"As far as the fans go, I want to say a few things. One: it's so much love. Not just the love I feel for them, but that I've shared with them. The way that people in Canada have fallen in love with the Raptors while I've been here, it's like it happened in just the right way, at the right time," Siakam added.

"When we were really ready for it — and needed it. So when we won, it's not just the usual cliche to be like, "This championship belongs to everyone." With 2019, we really felt that it's everyone. Like it was this moment that changed people's lives. Players, fans, all of us. Maybe that's a lot for some basketball games, I don't know. But if you were there then you get what I'm talking about."

The full article is available here.