The Toronto Raptors have been at the center of many trade deadline musings, as names like Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and Pascal Siakam have all been mentioned as potential candidates for a move elsewhere. Toronto has a ton of leverage, as many of these high-end talents are under contract for at least one more season.
Given the expectation that Scottie Barnes will eventually become the ball-centric star the team is developing him into, trading VanVleet, who could opt out of the final year of his contract, seems like one of the more reasonable and prudent paths Masai Ujiri could choose to take.
The Raptors had some discussions about butting into the Kyrie Irving deal with the aim of acquiring Spencer Dinwiddie, but they were unable to get a deal hammered out. That doesn’t mean that the league-wide VanVleet pursuit is entirely dead, however. For the right place, he can be moved.
It seems like nearly half the league is trying their hardest to acquire one of Toronto’s big names, with VanVleet being one of the most attractive names in the rumor mill. One of these three deals being consummated could easily set Toronto up for success in the long-term.
Toronto Raptors trade rumors: 3 Fred VanVleet deals.
Trade No. 1: Fred VanVleet goes to Brooklyn
This trade may not bring Dinwiddie over to Toronto, but it still helps Toronto plug two of its greatest holes. Harris might be a poor defender, but it’s not hyperbole to say that he is clearly one of the top five (potentially even top three) 3-point shooters in the game today.
Harris could help guard against losing VanVleet and, potentially, Trent in the span of a few months. Sharpe, who was a high school teammate of Scottie Barnes, has the muscle and rebounding needed to form a deadly pair alongside rookie big Christian Koloko. Getting some picks will always be nice.
Toronto Raptors trade rumors: Fred VanVleet could go to the Nets.
Brooklyn appears committed to building around Kevin Durant and winning a title, but the pressure is on to get him another co-star to take some of the pressure off of him. VanVleet may not be in the Kyrie tier, he will instantly become the second-best player on the Nets.
The Nets’ desperate nature could be what ultimately turns them into a willing buyer. VanVleet wearing a Nets jersey might be the basketball equivalent of ipecac for some Raptors fans, but they could give Toronto an offer that they simply won’t be able to refuse.