Raptors: Pass or Pursue 3 Spurs targets that may be available

SG Josh Richardson

Richardson is in that rare tier of player where he is good enough for contenders in both conferences to acquire via trade, but never so good that he’s viewed as a player that his current team must hold onto. Even though he has been a bit of an NBA nomad, he is being wasted in San Antonio.

Richardson has averaged 10.6 points per game while making nearly 40% of his 3-pointers, showing that he can adapt to a new role as a veteran gunner despite the fact he won’t score as he did in his Heat prime. Richardson would give this Raptors bench some serious juice, both in 2023 and next season, if he is retained.

The Toronto Raptors may keep an eye on Josh Richardson.

Considering how Gary Trent Jr. went from a defensive liability to a high-end disruptor, the Raptors might milk a similar uptick in performance on that end out of Richardson. At 6-5 with plenty of bounce, he is athletic enough to stick in this very challenging defense.

Richardson makes a ton of sense for Toronto in the same way that McDermott does. Replacing a starter by acquiring a collection of draft picks and young talent while also beefing up the bench with veteran specialists like Richardson and McDermott could help Toronto reboot and get back on track next season.

Verdict: Pursue