3 assets Raptors would be foolish to part with at trade deadline

The Toronto Raptors have had some bad losses this season, but the atrocity that was their loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night was a whole new level of embarrassment. The Wolves were playing without Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns on the second night of a back-to-back, yet still torched the Raptors’ defense.

The Raptors have been identified as a team who could sell off assets for some time, and this most recent loss will only speed up that timeline. Masai Ujiri, Nick Nurse, and the rest of the fanbase are now painfully aware of the fact that this team, as currently constructed, can’t compete for a championship.

The Raptors have reportedly set very high prices for most of their starters, and they will likely have plenty of suitors trying to bang down their door and snag some standout players. The Raptors will probably try to get some future value for some of their top assets, but they won’t be so dumb that they have a total fire sale.

These three assets should consider themselves safe, as there is no way that the Raptors can get good future value back for them in a trade. This trio still has a part to play as Toronto looks to either finish out the year on a high note or tank for the best pick available.

3 Toronto Raptors players Masai Ujiri should not trade.

3. Thad Young

If the Raptors want to sell off some of the “Vision 6-9” assets and retool to a less power-forward-oriented approach, trading Chris Boucher might be a better way to accomplish that goal. Not only will he recoup more assets in a potential trade, but Young has proven to be the type of experienced glue guy this team needs.

Young has been absent from the rotation in the last few games, but he had some very nice moments against Minnesota and was held in such high regard earlier in the season that Nurse was starting him at center. Are we supposed to believe that he has forgotten how to play basketball and make winning plays in that span?

Thad Young can help the Toronto Raptors.

While it does sting that the Raptors gave away the pick that eventually became a very promising young guard in Malaki Branham to acquire Young, that doesn’t mean he is bereft of value. We’ve seen him fill a role with aplomb as recently as this season. With his value low due to his age, why wouldn’t he stay around?

The Raptors are still a growing team, given how young many of their most important contributors are. Young’s presence in the locker room and on the floor is more valuable than what will likely be a less-than-desirable pick and a player that is not going to make a long-term impact on this franchise.