Raptors: 3 bargain bin trade targets Toronto could add

No. 1: C Jahlil Okafor, Detroit Pistons

The Raptors have already found a measure of success in grabbing a former 2015 lottery pick off the scrap heap with the free-agent signing of Johnson, who has become a solid rotational player after fizzling out as a starter with the Pistons. Might they try again with a former No. 3 overall pick in Okafor?

The Duke star drew comparisons to Tim Duncan upon arriving in the NBA, so it’s certainly disappointing to see how far Okafor’s star has fallen. Still, the 6’10” center only just turned 25, and it’s fair to wonder whether he ever got a fair shot development-wise given that his only significant opportunity on-court came with the “Trust the Process” era Philadelphia 76ers.

Will Okafor blossom in Toronto?

The old-school Okafor doesn’t offer any perimeter shooting or much in the way of rebounding, but his low post game paved the way for his lofty draft slot. In what has admittedly been an extremely small sample size in Detroit this season, there have been hints of that exceptional play in the paint, with Okafor shooting 59.5 percent and averaging 15.3 points per 36 minutes.

Would any of these three guys alter the direction of the Raptors’ 2020-21 season? Probably not. But each of them would fill a need for Toronto, as well as offering at least some hope of production without coming at the cost of a significant asset. Ujiri and Bobby Webster know their way around this type of addition, so it will be interesting to see if they opt to pull the trigger.