The Toronto Raptors are as active in trade talks as they’ve been in years, as names like OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. could find new homes by the end of the next few days. The trade of Rui Hachimura could be a sign that the NBA’s trade machine is starting to kick into high gear.
The Raptors are aware of the fact that they have one of the best young players in the league in Scottie Barnes, but very little else is certain about this club. Masai Ujiri is no fan of remaining in the middle, so a big trade could be coming in relatively short order.
Bleacher Report constructed five trades that could throw a wrench into the postseason picture, three of which involve the Raptors. Some involve the Raptors selling off their assets to rebuild for the future, but a few of them have Toronto making some intense win-now decisions.
Some of these offers are better than others, as they run the spectrum from enticing to downright disgusting from a Toronto perspective. Will the Raptors pull off any of these trades in a very contentious, uncertain time for the franchise?
Grade the Toronto Raptors trade: 3 Bleacher Report proposals.
Trade No. 1: Raptors add Myles Turner
The Raptors have been linked to Turner for what feels like forever, and this trade would help them finally land their white whale. Need a dominant rim protector? Look no further than Turner.
The Raptors have had gotten solid rim protection from Koloko and Precious Achiuwa, but neither of them can currently hold a candle to Turner on the offensive end. Indiana might start selling after their post-Tyrese Haliburton injury decline.
Toronto Raptors trade rumors: Myles Turner would be a risky addition.
Now, the downsides. Turner would require a hefty contract that will assuredly approach nine figures, and the Raptors are far from the only team that would want him in free agency. Abandoning Koloko despite all the promise he showed defensively could also come back to bite them.
Offloading the Boucher contract would be a nice move, and Turner would be a star center that could slide in nicely, but the Raptors would be surrendering a ton of assets and giving them to a young team on the rise in their own conference.
Grade: B