Keep or Trade? Raptors’ OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam

Falling to the 12th seed in the East, the Toronto Raptors went 4-11 in their last 15 games before ending that slide with a win against the Portland Trail Blazers. What started as a slip, maybe a slump, a rough stretch shooting, has now evolved into a bit of a crisis.

The Raptors’ roster, a positionless, defensive-minded team that aggressively attacked passing lanes and ran the floor, was odd from the beginning. The optimistic view of this approach was that Masai Ujiri and Nick Nurse were experimenting on the cutting edge of basketball strategy.

As it stands right now, things are bleak. Fred VanVleet has had a tough year shooting the ball, and no one knows if the team is getting “future of the franchise” Scottie Barnes or “scared to shoot” Scottie Barnes every night. The team still doesn’t have enough 3-point threats, a reliable backup point guard, or an actual starting center.

As such, the trade rumors have really started to kick into overdrive, with VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. being mentioned as two players who will be expected to command a very hefty return on the open market. Will Toronto come close to trading VanVleet, OG Anunoby, or Pascal Siakam?

Should the Toronto Raptors trade one of their starters?

Fred VanVleet

With about a month before the NBA’s trade deadline, every source under the sun has reported that the Raptors’ front office has been exploring trades. Many fans have speculated VanVleet is on the block. His difficulties this season have had a chunk of the fanbase souring on him, but if the Raptors decide to shake up the roster, it likely won’t be VanVleet who moves.

Masai Ujiri is a master NBA negotiator, and one of his savviest instincts is that he trades players at the right time. The most famous example is when he bought low on an enigmatic superstar named Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs would never have traded a happy, healthy Kawhi for DeMar DeRozan, but Masai bought low and won.

Remember when the Raptors sent Norman Powell to Portland in exchange for a much younger scoring guard in Gary Trent Jr? The Trail Blazers wouldn’t have agreed to that move a year prior, but Norm had been averaging nearly 20 points a game before he was traded. Masai sold high and won the trade.

The Toronto Raptors may not move off Fred VanVleet.

Trading VanVleet now would be selling him at his lowest point in years. Furthermore, most contending teams interested in making a “win now” move for a player like VanVleet are already happy with their point guard situation. Why add another cook in the kitchen at the cost of some first-round picks?

And finally, even though he’s had a rough stretch to start the season, VanVleet is still the kind of player the Raptors need to complement their young core best. He’s a high-character, two-way guard who can space the floor and score both on-ball and off-ball.

So if the Raptors won’t trade VanVleet, then whom?