Building a Raptors-Pacers trade proposal around OG Anunoby

The Toronto Raptors don’t have to trade OG Anunoby. In fact, they don’t have to trade anyone on their roster if they want to keep everyone on board and try to claw their way into and through the play-in Tournament field to make the playoffs. Given this team’s pride and past success, it’s very possible they take that route.

If the Raptors decide to make a more significant move, they have plenty of options for trades. They could move Gary Trent Jr. or Fred VanVleet before either hits free agency. Shedding some bench pieces to retool makes sense, though they could even hear the best packages for likely All-Star Pascal Siakam if they want to blow it up totally.

However, the player most coveted by opposing teams might just be OG Anunoby.

The 6-7 wing is one of the very best defenders in basketball, able to switch off of an opposing point guard, cut off a passing lane, sprint to the corner for a contest and then come roaring in from the weakside to block a shot. His versatility is astounding, and it’s a major reason why the rest of the league has long coveted him.

OG Anunoby would be an intriguing trade candidate for many teams in the league.

One team that could look to make a swing for Anunoby is the Indiana Pacers, unexpectedly in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with an intriguing core of players. The perfect kind of player to mix in with Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, and Bennedict Mathurin is a combo forward with defensive versatility and an excellent outside shot.

Enter Anunoby. What might a trade for OG look like, and is it enough for the Raptors to say yes? The Pacers’ recent hot streak may have sped up their proverbial contention clock, and that desire to capitalize could lead to them potentially parting with more assets than they originally planned.