The Toronto Raptors are in a bit of a rut lately, as they appear to be hovering around play-in territory rather than proving they are a team who can make some noise in the playoffs. Given Masai Ujiri’s past distaste for such mediocrity, it stands to reason that some trades could be made.
Toronto is in a very difficult spot right now. While they will clearly try to make moves that put them in a better position to compete for championships, they need to be mindful of how much money they are spending due to an impending Pascal Siakam extension.
The latest rumor dump from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype shows that many players who could help plug some of Toronto’s biggest holes are on the market and could be had for the right price. There have been rumors that Toronto could do something if the roster stagnates, and the last few games show this team needs some new blood.
These four players would be quality additions to what Ujiri and Nick Nurse are building in Toronto. Even though adding one of these players would be a drastic shake-up to this roster, that realignment could be what this team needs to get back to the No. 5 seed they were last year.
Toronto Raptors rumors: 4 big trades to make before trade deadline
4. Isaiah Hartenstein, New York Knicks
Scotto mentioned that Hartenstein, who has played well after impressing with the Clippers last year, could be on the move if the Knicks fall apart and Jericho Sims continues to impress the team. Given his cheap contract, every team in the league should be in on him.
Hartenstein is making 53% of his shots while averaging 6.9 rebounds per game. While having two 7-footers that need developing in Hartenstein and Christian Koloko might not sound ideal, Nick Nurse had made use of lineups with two bigs sharing the floor in the past.
Can the Toronto Raptors nab Isaiah Hartenstein?
In both Los Angeles and New York, Hartenstein has been a picture of efficiency. Given the offensive struggles Toronto has had of late, particularly at the rim, perhaps it wouldn’t be a shocker if they tried to add a player like Hartenstein that won’t cost an arm and a leg in a trade.
Given all of their first-round picks, the Knicks could look to trade away as many spare parts as possible in order to acquire a disgruntled star. If the team is indeed open for business, Ujiri could beat the rest of the league to the punch by getting Hartenstein and offloading Khem Birch.
3. Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards
While Raptors fans may not want to see yet another power forward on this roster, swapping out one of the bigs on the roster and another high-priced complementary piece might be a way to bring Kuzma to town. Despite his strong start to the season, the Wizards may move him. Phoenix and Atlanta are already snooping around.
Kuzma is averaging 20.6 points and 7.7 points per game, unlocking parts of his offensive game that he was never able to access with the Lakers. Why Washington would want to part with this when Bradley Beal is locked in for the next five years is beyond me, but the Raptors could stand to be the beneficiaries of such a move.
Kyle Kuzma would be a tremendous scorer for the Toronto Raptors.
Kuzma would be a better perimeter threat than any of the backup power forwards currently on Toronto’s roster, and his age means that he could get signed to a long-term contract without crossing into the nine-figure threshold. That could be important if MLSE is looking to cut costs and pay Siakam.
Kuzma may not score 20 points per game on every team in the league, and certainly not on a Raptors team that generally likes to slow things down in their half-court sets. However, he’s proven to be an efficient sniper and improved post player with the Wizards, and all 29 other teams in the league would have use for a player like him.
2. D’Angelo Russell, Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is locked into Rudy Gobert thanks to their huge trade, and Anthony Edwards isn’t going anywhere. If the Timberwolves want to move off one of their players to retool, the only one who really makes any sort of sense is Russell.
Russell’s scoring might be down this year, but he’s lost shot attempts due to the emergence of Edwards. In the last four seasons, Russell has averaged over 20 points per game.
Suppose Nurse can give him the super soldier serum that made Gary Trent Jr. a viable defender (before this year). In that case, Russell could be a system shock that cranks Toronto’s offense up to the next level, thanks to his terrific offensive creation skills.
D’Angelo Russell is a high-end trade target for the Toronto Raptors.
An unrestricted free agent after this season, Russell coming to Toronto could end in one of two ways, both of which are beneficial in the short term. Given his contract, Russell is not going to be too expensive to acquire in terms of the capital Minnesota will get back.
If he stays long-term, Toronto will have a former All-Star guard and lethal scorer who stands 6-4 that could give them a younger alternative to some of the veterans on the roster.
Russell is in that weird middle ground of the NBA. While he’s not good enough to become a franchise point guard, he’s so good that would-be contenders from across the league are tripping over themselves to acquire him. With Toronto lacking in scoring and Russell’s value shrinking, the Raptors may just end up being able to land him.
1. DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
Unlikely? You bet. Impossible? Not at all! With the Bulls falling off a cliff and the conference getting stronger around them, there have been some rumblings that Chicago could look to move into seller mode. DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are their two most tradeable assets, as they are both kicking butt for the Bulls.
While DeRozan may still have some friction with Ujiri due to how the whole Kawhi Leonard trade fiasco was handled, Toronto is in dire need of a perimeter force multiplier that can create for himself and be trusted to score in clutch situations. If any reasonable trade target in the league can do that, it’s DeMar.
Can the Toronto Raptors bring back DeMar DeRozan?
Despite his pedigree, DeRozan actually has a very affordable contract that could be moved in trade talks. Toronto will likely be willing to move off first-round picks to capitalize on this core before they have to start paying most of their stars, and DeRozan would give them an instant upgrade if they pay that steep cost.
DeRozan will likely play out his contract with the Bulls, but contenders from all across the league and big-name brands like the Lakers will likely have an interest in bringing him back. Toronto could spoil that with a tearful reunion via trade.