The Toronto Raptors did not trade one of Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, or Gary Trent Jr. at the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline, much to the surprise of the fanbase and the charging of a very vocal section of that fanbase. Toronto appears to be doubling down on their core.
While the addition of Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs will help the Raptors get much better at protecting the basket, they still have some major roster issues that will make it very difficult for them to make much noise in the postseason. At the very top of that list is the lack of quality 3-point shooting.
The Raptors rank 28th in the league in 3-point shooting, and they are going to get a complete non-shooter in Poeltl dropped into the rotation. This could be a sign that Masai Ujiri is not completely done making additions to this Raptors roster.
After getting some money to play around with thanks to the Otto Porter Jr. injury, Toronto should use their open roster spot on a player that can make a difference, rather than just filling that void with 10-day contracts. These three buyout targets make too much sense for Toronto.
3 buyout candidates the Toronto Raptors must pursue.
3. Terrence Ross, Orlando Magic
Ross was discussed as a somewhat regular trade target for the Raptors, especially given their apparent fascination with reacquiring their old first-round picks. Toronto needs some snipers, and Ross can still knock down some open triples when requested.
Orlando was unwilling to move Gary Harris at the deadline, as they seem to value what he brings to the table as a leader and his performance. Ross, meanwhile, is in a slight decline and can be cut loose with a relatively paltry financial penalty. Is a reunion in the cards?
Will the Toronto Raptors get Terrence Ross?
Ross is averaging just 8.0 points per game this season, but he averaged double digits in points per game in his past four seasons with Orlando. The Magic are not in a position to contend for the playoffs this season, so holding onto Ross doesn’t seem like a move that makes tons of sense.
Ross in Toronto won’t have a ton of responsibility. Just come off the bench and shoot 3-pointers well. Considering the poor play of Malachi Flynn as the designated bench gunner, Ross would be an immediate upgrade in that area to such a degree that Flynn wouldn’t sniff the rotation ever again.