The Toronto Raptors have been leaking coolant over the last few weeks, as losing stars like Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby right before the Trade Deadline in a competitive Eastern Conference could not have come at a more inopportune time.
The Raptors need to make some upgrades at the deadline has gone from something they probably should check off to an absolute necessity, as the play-in tournament is doing little to negate the fact that Toronto could be on the verge of their first season without playoff basketball in nearly a decade.
The Raptors won’t be the only team on the fringes of the postseason that is eyeing a playoff spot, as any number of playoff contenders could be in the market for some of the same trade targets.
The Raptors not only need to be aggressive to improve their roster, but they need to prevent trade targets from going to some of their rivals.
The Toronto Raptors need to hope these deals never get done
Division rivals and contenders on the rise could offer a much better package than Toronto if Masai Ujiri doesn’t want to give up some of his stars, meaning these three teams could potentially make life hell for a completely discombobulated Raptors team.