The Toronto Raptors will look to pursue every possible angle to improve their roster in the offseason, meaning that a considerable trade to plug up some gaping holes could come to fruition. Be it with or without an OG Anunoby trade, expect Toronto to look to make some deals.
The Western Conference is just ripe with talented players looking for a change of scenery. With the elite squads starting to really pull away from the rest of the pack, Toronto could take advantage of all of the teams looking to tinker and collect assets in the middle of a rebuild.
The Raptors have two veteran free agent power forwards that could depart in free agency, creating another area of need on this roster alongside the lack of a 7-footer in the paint and some suspect guard depth. Giving away some picks and players might be one way quickly patch those cracks.
If Masai Ujiri is so inclined, these three young players should be prioritized in trade talks. It will take some expert GM work to acquire these players without sacrificing a ton of future assets, but Ujiri and Bobby Webster have put in enough time to earn the trust of this Raptors fanbase.
3 young Western Conference players to trade for
3. Darius Bazley, PF, Oklahoma City Thunder
One of the side effects of the Thunder having so many first-round picks is the unfortunate need to kick out many top youngsters on their current roster to make room for new ones. With Oklahoma City likely to bring in Chet Holmgren with the No. 2 overall pick and another contributor at No. 12, Bazley’s days may be numbered.
Bazley averaged 10.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game with the Thunder last season, but some lousy efficiency numbers might make him a less attractive proposition as a player. Toronto could be the best place for him to rehabilitate his value and get back on track.
The Toronto Raptors could use Darius Bazley.
Bazley might not be the best defender right now, but he is undoubtedly the type of player who could fit in with Toronto’s uber-switchable defense if Nick Nurse instills the proper principles in him. Bazley could potentially hit around 50% of his attempts with more wide-open shots.
With the leaping ability to be a genuine problem in the right scheme, Bazley is on the verge of finding himself totally squeezed out of a role in Oklahoma City. With Toronto, his NBA career could begin anew with a defined Sixth Man role on the Raptors.
2. Jakob Poeltl, C, San Antonio Spurs
The Poeltl reunion rumors have been going strong since the trade deadline, though they may have slowed down just a tad after San Antonio surprisingly made it to the play-in tournament. Ujiri needs to check on Poeltl’s asking price, as he’s developed into the elite defensive center Toronto always thought he could be.
Poeltl averaged 13.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game with San Antonio to go along with some truly fun to watch defense. Poeltl is exactly what Toronto is missing, but the Spurs are not going to give him away without some serious compensation coming their way
Will the Spurs send Jakob Poeltl back to the Toronto Raptors?
Poeltl could be so dominant that Toronto changes the entire starting lineup around by moving Anunoby to shooting guard and benching Gary Trent Jr. With Ujiri having already identified him as a better player than Siakam in the past, he clearly has respect for his game.
Poeltl is a bit of a longshot due to San Antonio potentially looking to build a winner around Dejounte Murray, but things could change if the Spurs think they are further away from contention than last year would indicate. There’s a vacant No. 42 jersey if Poeltl ever makes his way back.
1. Anfernee Simons, SG/PG, Portland Trail Blazers
Unrealistic? Perhaps. Impossible? Not really! Even if there is a sliver of a chance that OG Anunoby gets traded this offseason, Toronto will likely insist on a standout young player coming back the other way. While he took some time to blossom, Simons has become the perfect restricted free agent sign-and-trade target.
With Damian Lillard on the bench for large chunks of the season, Simons averaged 17.3 points and 3.9 assists per game on 44/40/89 shooing splits. Simons might be a better player in the next few seasons when compared against Trent due to his ability to handle the ball and distribute.
Anfernee Simons would be a dream for the Toronto Raptors.
Simons is still a work in progress on defense, as his breakout year could suggest that his gaudy stats were the result of playing without Lillard rather than a tangible step in the right direction. He’s a fantastic player, but Simons is not without risks.
A sign-and-trade deal that lands the restricted free agent in Toronto would give the Raptors a bench scorer that can provide solid shooting for years to come in addition to some very valuable draft assets from the Blazers. Losing Anunoby would be tough, but Simons could ease the blow.