Should the Toronto Raptors trade DeMar DeRozan?

Is it time for the Toronto Raptors to part ways with their longest tenured player?

DeMar DeRozan, drafted 9^th overall in 2009, is heading into the final year of his guaranteed contract. Once the 2015/16 season is over, DeRozan will have the option to either accept a $9.5 million contract or dive into free agency.

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Because of the massive cap increase coming with the new TV deal, all indications point to the shooting guard opting out at the end of the season and testing the market’s waters.

In the same vein, Ryan Wolstat, a well-known media personality, reported in his Toronto Sun article that:

"Whispers continue to circulate that DeMar DeRozan’s camp will be after the new mid-max (a whopping $25.3 million) a year from now and there is no way the Raptors will be comfortable footing that bid."

While the validity of the latter point is unknown, the former is without a doubt a scary thought. Jumping from $9.5 million to $25.3 million is a massive increase, even with the new cap. DeRozan currently holds 13.6% of the available cap room on the roster. If the Raptors were to accept a $25.3 million deal, DeRozan’s cut would skyrocket to 28.4% in the 2016/17 season.

DeRozan’s contract puts GM Masai Ujiri and his front office in a tricky position. Do they trade the All-Star, hoping to at least get something in return and not have to face the possibility of losing him for nothing in 2016? Or, do they keep him in an attempt to go all out during this year’s playoffs?

To put it simply, I think he should be traded. There should be one goal in all Raptors fans’ minds: to win a championship. It’s nearly impossible to do this without a superstar leading the group. Kyle Lowry is not our superstar, but neither is DeRozan..

DeRozan should be traded in a way that gives the Raptors the flexibility to go all-out to sign Kevin Durant in 2016. Durant can be our superstar. With a talent like his, the Raptors would become one of the best teams in the league and an immediate title contender.

Using the ESPN Trade Machine, I made a trade with the Boston Celtics centred around our All-Star.

In exchange for DeMar DeRozan and Terrence Ross, the Raptors would receive Evan Turner, Avery Bradley, Jared Sullinger and a 2016 second-round pick from Philadelphia. This deal would aid both teams. The Raptors would get a quality replacement for DeRozan in Bradley, a backup to DeMarre Carroll in Evan Turner and a good power forward to come in off the bench in Sullinger.

The Celtics would be able to add a primary scorer on offence and a backup rotation player to Jae Crowder, which they seem to badly need.

With this trade, the Raptors would be in prime position to offer an incredible pitch to Kevin Durant in 2016. He would be able to surround himself with Lowry, Bradley, Carroll and Valanciunas in the starting 5, and be backed up by Patrick Patterson, Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger off the bench.

This would be a roster laced with both young and old players. For the first time in franchise history, the Raptors would have a balance of inside scoring, outside shooting and defensive efficiency, primed to chase a title.

Next: Is Patrick Patterson ready to start?

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