A Christmas wish list for the Toronto Raptors this holiday season
By Avishai Sol
The Toronto Raptors have been all over the place in the 2021-22 season. Just when it looks like this team is finally going to crater and go on a very long losing streak, they’ll reel off some impressive wins and get fans back on board. Toronto has managed to overcome some serious obstacles this season, including the Goran Dragic debacle.
In addition to a high-priced bench player in Dragic offering them almost nothing, Toronto has struggled with the lack of consistent production from the bench and some questionable frontcourt play. If there was ever a time to wish for an upgrade, it’s the holiday season.
Toronto is right on the edge of the play-in tournament despite Masai Ujiri’s commitment to a retooling season. There are just a few lucky breaks away from cementing themselves as a playoff team.
The Raptors have some holiday wishes that they would love to be granted in the next few weeks. If these gifts get delivered to Scotiabank Arena, look for the Raptors to start winning games in a more consistent, dominant fashion.
A Christmas wish list for the Toronto Raptors.
Can we deal Goran Dragic?
It was a doomed relationship from day one.
The Raptors didn’t want to waste minutes on a win-now veteran when they could be developing their young core, and Dragic doesn’t want to spend his twilight stretch in the NBA on a losing team. It’s very reasonable on both sides.
The latest news is that Dragic has returned to his home country of Slovenia due to a “personal matter”. Letting an asset like Dragic expire without getting anything back in return is a waste.
The Toronto Raptors could move Goran Dragic.
Because of his high-end salary of $19 million, moving him is a little more complicated than it would be with another non-value to the team. This becomes more complicated because the Mavericks have very few young assets to interest the Raptors.
Willie Cauley-Stein is an expiring deal, so the Raps could get a pair of proper big men to balance out the roster if you add in one Toronto native Dwight Powell. It’s never a bad thing to have more hometown boys on the roster, especially ones who fill one of the most pressing needs of the team.
Even if the Raptors have to accept a lesser deal, getting anything is better than getting nothing. Toronto should get Goran to a better situation for him while stockpiling assets.