Pros and Cons of Raptors making Gary Trent Jr. available in trades

Verdict

The Raptors should make Trent available, but with some extreme caveats. There are only two scenarios in which a move would be acceptable, as trading him just for the sake of shaking the roster back up wouldn’t be the most prudent move Ujiri ever came up with.

If the Raptors can get a player in a similar tier that comes at a less expensive price, not unlike what they did when they acquired Trent in exchange for Powell during the Tampa sabbatical, Trent could be on the move. This keeps Toronto competitive without incurring the wrath of a Tyler Herro-esque nine-figure deal on their salary cap.

The other option is including him as a headliner or co-starring piece in a deal that brings a difference-maker (Kevin Durant?) to Toronto. Even if Trent is mired in a slump, this league is always going to place a premium on adding young shooters that can create for themselves. Someone is going to pay him.

The Raptors will likely keep VanVleet and Siakam happy with long-term contracts in the offseason while simultaneously making sure they have enough flexibility to pay Barnes. Trent could be around for this next decade of Raptors basketball, but his price might also rise to the point where flipping him becomes the better move.