The NBA trade deadline is almost here, and the Toronto Raptors are the talk of the town. Teams are waiting for Toronto’s selling or buying decision. Toronto needs to change its roster at the trade deadline because the way the Raptors are currently constructed is not good enough to compete for a title.
A lot of teams in the NBA are interested in Toronto’s players. Out of the players from the Raptors that teams are interested in, OG Anunoby got the most buzz. And that’s not surprising, given how his skillset works with basically every team in the league.
One team that is interested in Anunoby is the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are second in the Western Conference, but it seems that they are one piece away to go to finals. Anunoby could be that missing piece for Memphis.
Tidbit from Marc Stein's latest on the Suns, OG Anunoby and KD: https://t.co/dDuHQMfcSa pic.twitter.com/LxHs9cnhUS
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) February 8, 2023
This Raptors-Grizzlies trade sends OG Anunoby to Memphis.
This trade helps the Grizzlies because they get one of the best 3-and-D players in the league without giving their core pieces. The Grizzlies can put Anunoby at the four in smaller lineups or put him out on the perimeter and watch his defense shine.
The Raptors get a young promising player in former No. 10 overall pick Williams, who is a 6-9 forward that can defend and leap. He needs to improve his 3-point shot, because that’s the weakest part of his game. Fortunately for Williams, he’s in will be in a situation where there’s no expectation to win right away. He can improve his shot without any pressure.
Rival NBA executives believe the Grizzlies could make a run at OG Anunoby on the trade market. More on Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr and Fred VanVleet trade talks, and the futures of Pascal Siakam and Nick Nurse with @BlakeMurphyODC on the @hoopshype podcast. https://t.co/yDkrfWv7AL
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 31, 2023
Green comes with the deal because of salary filler, but he is still needed for this team. Why not bring back a 2019 champion to kick-start the team’s 3-point shooting.
The latest buzz states that the asking price for Anunoby is three first-round picks. In this trade, Memphis offers two first-round picks, with Williams giving Toronto a tangible asset to hold onto.
It’s obvious that this season has been a letdown for the Raptors. They were expected to be a playoff team, but they are a couple of wins away from getting to the play-in and a couple of losses away from being a bottom-feeder. It is time for the Raptors to make a trade, even if it means saying goodbye to OG.