Raptors news: Gary Trent Jr. trade update, Fred VanVleet milestone, Joe Wieskamp gone

Gary Trent Jr. and the Toronto Raptors were given a stinging slap of reality against the Golden State Warriors, as all of the positive vibes they picked up during their two-game win streak against the Knicks and Kings were vaporized by an awful defensive performance.

Even if they had won that game, Masai Ujiri knows that this team is not equipped to compete for a championship as currently constructed. Trent and Fred VanVleet remain on the trade block right now, though one NBA insider is of the belief that one of that duo is far more likely than the other to be playing elsewhere very soon.

The latest rumblings from Marc Stein (subscription required) seem to hint at the idea that Trent will be the most likely of any of the Raptors to end up getting traded. Given the fact his next contract could approach $25 million per season, the cost-cutting Raptors might not be willing to go that high.

The Raptors will likely be targeting multiple first-round draft choices as well as one or two young impact players on controllable contracts if they want to start shopping Trent around the league. It would be painful to see him go, but the Raptors might be willing to retool in a very drastic fashion.

More Raptors News:

• Josh Lewenberg confirmed that Joe Wieskamp, who was signed to a pair of 10-day contracts not soon after the release of Justin Champagnie, is no longer with the team. Wieskamp played in just two games for the Raptors, but he did manage to hit three 3-pointers against the Timberwolves.
• Fred VanVleet passed Jonas Valanciunas (5,524 points) for eighth on the Raptors’ all-time scoring list. If VanVleet is not traded, his next targets on the list will be Morris Peterson (6,498) and Andrea Bargnani (6,591).
• Playing for Raptors 905 in the G League, Christin Koloko averaged 13.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 5.0 blocks, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game in two consecutive double-doubles against the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ affiliate. He’s shown he’s way too talented for that level of competition.

NBA News:

• The NBA announced the starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. LeBron James will captain the West alongside Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Steph Curry, and Zion Williams. Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead the East alongside Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, and Donovan Mitchell.
• Jokic remains at the top of the NBA’s MVP Ladder, with Joel Embiid leapfrogging Tatum to claim the No. 2 spot. Antetokounmpo and Doncic round out the top five.