The Toronto Raptors might need to shake up their roster over the new few weeks if they want to stay in contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Names like Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell, Aron Baynes, and more have all been mentioned as collateral that could be shipped out of town by Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster.
While the Raptors aren’t in the most financially flexible situation, that shouldn’t prevent Ujiri from making a deal, as any number of competing teams in the east could be inclined to throw caution to the wind in the name of gearing up for a playoff run.
Considering the pivotal offseason Toronto has in front of them it could be difficult to make heads or tails of who should be on the move this trade season.
A closer examination reveals which players will be held on to and which could be thrown into a deal for a star.
Toronto Raptors Trade or keep?: Centers
Aron Baynes: Trade
While Baynes has disappointed as the replacement for Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, he still has some value. Contenders could be intrigued by the fact that Baynes is able to and defend at a high level while providing at least average rebounding.
Baynes is making $7 million this year, and the fact that his contract goes into next season makes him a trade chip that could help the Raptors make the money match up in hypothetical trades. Not only will Baynes get Toronto some assets in a trade, but there won’t be a ton fo raptors fans sad to see him go.
Chris Boucher: Keep
Boucher might come off the bench when everyone is healthy, and he struggles against bigger centers, but he has become one of the game’s premier shot blockers and sweet-shooting big men during his fantastic 2020-21 season. He isn’t going anywhere.
There is still the question of how high Boucher’s ceiling is, as he is already 28 years old and has only reached these illustrious heights during the 2020-21 campaign. Despite that, he looks like a long-term building block.
Toronto Raptors Trade or keep?: Power Forwards
Pascal Siakam: Keep
Siakam might not be scoring at the same clip that made him an All-Star last year, but Spicy P is still good for 20 points a night, all the while rebounding and distributing at a level that he hasn’t performed at yet in his career.
Siakam’s huge contract means that he could theoretically be traded if it helps the Raptors get a superstar, but that doesn’t seem super realistic right now. Siakam will be a Raptor when the deadline passes, and he’ll be one of the main cogs in their championship run.
OG Anunoby: Keep
The Toronto Raptors will not trade OG Anunoby. Anyone who believes that they will needs a check up from the neck up. He’s a tremendous defender, a much-improved shooter, and an improving offensive player with regards to creating his own shot. It is a virtual certainty that Anunoby ends up on the Raptors at the end of the deadline.
Stanley Johnson: Trade
Johnson started the season so well, becoming a versatile defender who contributed enough on the offensive end. Unfortunately, the former lottery pick has regressed to the mean, and he is a complete non-factor on offense at the moment. Toronto might be able to get something, however small it is, for him in a trade.
Toronto Raptors Trade or keep?: Small Forwards
DeAndre’ Bembry: Keep
Bembry is finally starting to look like the first-round pick he was expected to be in Atlanta. While his 4.6 points per game don’t scream “star”, he’s playing hard on both sides of the floor, all the while shooting 60% overall and 38% from three. Bembry will obviously stick around in Toronto, but he could make himself a 2021 cornerstone if he keeps this play up.
Yuta Watanabe: Keep
Like Bembry, Watanabe isn’t setting the world on fire on the offensive end. However, the 6-9 forward plays like he is 7-2 on defense, as he is constantly blocking shots, getting rebounds, and playing at 150% speed. A two-way player right now, Yuta might’ve done enough to earn himself an NBA deal.
Patrick McCaw: Trade
At this point, the Raptors would take a bag of Cheez Doodles in exchange for McCaw, who has contributed minimal to the rotation since returning from his injury. Still, given his $4 million salary and history before the injury, he could be moved in a deal at the deadline.
Paul Watson: Keep
Watson has barely played, but he’s shown enough in his very limited minutes to at least warrant consideration for more playing time.
Toronto Raptors Trade or keep?: Shooting Guards
Norman Powell: Trade
While Powell has turned on the jets after being named a starter, averaging over 21 points per game in that stretch, there are plenty of reasons to assume that he could still end up as tarde bait. On top of his nearly $11 million salary standing out as a very tradeable deal, the California kid might not stay in Toronto for much longer.
Powell would be foolish to opt into his player option for 2021-22 and not test the free agency waters this offseason, as he could make somewhere close to $20 million per season off the back of this campaign. Why not trade him and get equal value in return instead of losing him for nothing in the offseason?
Terence Davis: Trade
Davis might not face any legal punishment for his frightening domestic violence accusations, but that doesn’t mean he’s back in the good graces of Raptors fans, as he has failed to take the next step on both ends of the floor. Just in his second year, there are reasons to get rid of Davis for his on-court performance and off-court behavior.
Matt Thomas: Keep
Thomas rarely gets in the game, but his ability to stroke it from deep makes him worth keeping in the chamber just in case Toronto decides to unleash him. Thomas’ minimal financial burden means that the Raptors wouldn’t gain much by including him in a potential trade.
Toronto Raptors Trade or keep?: Point Guards
Fred VanVleet: Keep
VanVleet is the team’s primary scorer on the perimeter, and he’s sticking around in Toronto for the next four years. Barring some deciding to wake up, choose violence, and put a superstar player on the market, VanVleet will be remaining in Toronto for the long haul as he looks to help the Raptors make it to the postseason.
Malachi Flynn: Keep
Flynn has not lived up to his billing as a first-round pick, as he is a much rawer player on the offensive end than anyone anticipated. While flipping a first-round pick might get some teams interested, there is still enough there for the Raptors to keep plugging away and trying to make Flynn work.
Kyle Lowry: It’s Complicated
The Raptors, on paper, shouldn’t get rid of Lowry. He’s a franchise icon, a starting point guard, and the team’s third-best offensive player. Offloading him for a combination of spare parts might end up biting the Raptors in the butt.
However, Lowry is a Philadelphia native that could look to head back to the states after nine years in Toronto. His hometown 76ers are one of three reams sniffing around Lowry, If they overpay for an impending free agent at the end of this year, the Raptors might need to bite the bullet and trade away the legend himself.