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.
No. 2: SG Lou Williams, Los Angeles Clippers
Lou Williams made a strong impression in a short span of time in Toronto, becoming a fan favorite as he won his first of three Sixth Man of the Year awards and even getting immortalized on the Drake track, “6 Man”. A reunion, however, would potentially be a stickier proposition after Williams recalled “feeling like you’re playing overseas” while in Toronto.
Good news, Lou! The Raptors aren’t in Toronto right now. The 34-year-old is very much available at the moment as a pending free agent who doesn’t appear to be a part of the Clippers long-term plans. Instead, he could give the Tampa Bay-based Raps a much-needed shooter and ball-handler off the bench, providing their struggling half-court offense with a declining, but still potent, weapon.
Lou Williams can still shoot very well
Williams’ current 10.3 points per game in 20.4 minutes are both the lowest marks he’s amassed since his second season in the league. You’d have to figure that ‘Sweet Lou’ would eagerly embrace a trade, given that it would offer him a chance to prove himself in pursuit of his next contract.
While he might not be too crazy about becoming a Raptor once again, the chance to pursue a championship away from the Clippers might be enough to change his mind. Toronto could continue their hot shooting of late by adding a battle-tested veteran like Williams.
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.