Raptors: 3 bargain bin trade targets Toronto could add

If you are hoping to find a major, game-changing addition for the Toronto Raptors to elevate them back into the mix of the top Eastern Conference contenders, there are plenty of intriguing possibilities that Masai Ujiri could consider. If the front office wants to cut costs, however, that won’t exclude them from making some quality additions at the Trade Deadline

While everyone likes a good blockbuster to shake things up, there are a number of reasons why that might not be the wisest path for this Raptors team. For one thing, a deep upcoming draft and the prospect of a looming rebuild place considerable internal value on the club’s draft picks, taking away some of their biggest trade assets.

Toronto may not need such a player, anyway. A significant chunk of their production to date this season has come from unheralded depth pieces that the organization seems to have hit on. Chris Boucher, Stanley Johnson and Yuta Watanabe have all offered considerable contributions, with only Boucher figuring to have any role in the rotation coming into the season.

If Masai Ujiri and company don’t have an appetite for big game hunting ahead of the March 25th trade deadline, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be inactive. Here are some possible bargain bin options they may want to consider in order to bolster the rotation at a low cost.

These three cheaper players could end up as Toronto Raptors at the trade deadline

No. 3: C Khem Birch, Orlando Magic

Thanks to Boucher, the Raptors have a pretty good record when it comes to developing big men from Montreal. Could Orlando’s Khem Birch follow in his footsteps? The 28-year-old will be a free agent at season’s end and probably isn’t a high priority for the Magic, who may pursue a rebuild.

In the meantime, however, he could be a serviceable addition to Toronto’s frontcourt rotation as a cheap rental. Like Aron Baynes, the 6’9″ Birch is a tad undersized, opting instead to use muscle and physicality to neutralize bigger opponents he battles in the paint.

Will Birch fit with the Raptors?

For now, the most pronounced difference between the two is field goal percentage, where Birch is much better (49.2 percent as compared to to 39.7 percent). While his rebounding numbers are similar to the Aussie, who is six years his senior, Birch has more than doubled Baynes’ average on the offensive glass (2.9 per game to 1.4) in just a couple more minutes per contest.

A few weeks ago, the former UNLV star pulled down 10 offensive rebounds against the Sacramento Kings, and performances like that should help him stick around in Toronto. His blend of power and nimble footwork should make him a much better offensive player than the disappointing Baynes.