Toronto Raptors preseason roundtable: Hottest take, predicted finish, and more

Should Raptors look to blow it up?

Mike Bossetti:

No, but they shouldn’t hang up the phone either. Listen on deals for Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, and Serge Ibaka, but don’t accept anything unless the offer is right.

At the end of the day, I’d guess the Raptors trade either Gasol or Ibaka, depending on what they’re able to receive. That’s certainly not blowing it up, but it’s not going all-in either.

Mark Birdsell:

The Raptors should consider retooling, not a full-scale rebuild.

I am on record saying that Kyle Lowry has more value for the Raptors than he does for any other team.  However, the Raptors should consider moving at least one of Gasol or Ibaka in order to acquire draft picks or a young asset. The Trail Blazers are a team to watch due to the injury to Jusuf Nurkic and Hassan Whiteside‘s ability to wear out his welcome.

Michael Walton II:

The Raptors should absolutely not look to blow it up. “Blowing it up” is it a phrase thrown around too often in today and should be reserved for teams that clearly have a path to hitting rock-bottom, which the Raptors do not.

I do believe at least one key veteran player from last year’s championship roster will be traded for either a high-ceiling prospect or a draft pick for Ujiri to use in future deals. However, trading off one veteran piece is far from blowing up what is definitively a playoff core.

Andrew Hughes

Yes, but not as an all-out tank-a-palooza. Listen, Gasol, Ibaka, and Lowry are all dynamic players that will be forever enshrined into Raptors’ history. But, the front office will have to move on from them at some point in the near future.

If there’s a deal in place that acquires a certain amount of young, win-now viable assets then the Raptors should strike. Ironically, a deal like what the Raptors and Grizzlies made for Gasol last year would be sufficient just flip-flopped this time around. But, no deal should be made if it’s not for a great talent that increases the likelihood of the Raptors winning in the future.