The Toronto Raptors retained Gary Trent Jr. and Jakob Poeltl in the 2023 offseason, all while making smaller moves to address their lack of depth. Still, Toronto’s loss of Fred VanVleet has prompted some to believe that the Raptors are in need of some new blood.
If they end up trading some of their current players, targeting a point guard might make sense. Dennis Schroder is a solid player, but he is nothing beyond a two-year stopgap until a more permanent solution is found. If Scottie Barnes is not transitioning to point guard, one new face is needed.
Eric Koreen of the Athletic tested the trade waters and surveyed the landscape, identifying a dozen or so point guards that could feasibly be let go by their respective teams in favor of either Toronto’s bench assets or one high-end starting piece in a like-for-like swap.
Would any one of these three trades make the Raptors better? They would have to bite the bullet and flip some of their more interesting assets to bring yet another ball-handler into the mix, but it would fix one of the team’s more immediate issues.
Grade the Trade: 3 Toronto Raptors point guard trades.
3. Cole Anthony comes up north
While the Raptors have too many power forwards that can defend on the wing, the Magic have too many point guards that need the ball. If Chris Boucher is on the market, new Magic GM and former Raptors guard Anthony Parker might be in the mood to engage with his former team.
Both players Toronto is acquiring in this 2-for-1 swap have some issues that take this deal out of the A-range. Okeke is a negative asset with declining production and offensive problems, while adding yet another ball-handler that can’t shoot in Anthony could lead to friction with Schroder.
Will the Toronto Raptors land Cole Anthony?
Anthony lacks Jalen Suggs’ two-way potential and Markelle Fultz’s off-ball versatility. While not a fantastic shooter, Anthony is willing and able to attack the basket, compete his tail off on both sides of the floor, and supercharge bench units as a primary ball-handler.
Rolling with two undersized guards who can’t shoot in the same lineup might make for a very unusual alignment that could hurt him, but some improved shooting from Anthony could help Darko Rajakovic get the depth and perimeter scoring that he needs to run his offense properly.
Grade: B+
2. An old friend returns
This one might be the most realistic Raptors trade that actually has a chance of going down in the next few weeks. With the Wizards looking to sell off more of their veterans to dip fully into tank mode and the Raptors looking to bring back yet another familiar friend, a deal could get consummated.
Wright has had a journeyman career since first being booted off the Raptors, never staying at any destination for more than one season. No matter where this wandering ronin has called home, he has provided serviceable 3-point shooting and tremendous on-ball defense when called upon.
The Toronto Raptors could keep Delon Wright.
The former No. 20 pick doesn’t need to come in and be a high-end scorer, as that is what Schroder is expected to provide off the bench. The lack of passing and defense on the roster, even with the Schroder addition, is what could make Wright such an attractive piece.
Porter has quickly become a negative asset after yet another injury, and the Wizards might be a good place to offload the Georgetown alum Washington took No. 3 overall in 2014. Throwing in Wieskamp and a pick to sweeten the deal might take them over the line.
Grade: A-
1. A Malcolm Brogdon move
While Trent appears to be back after opting into the final year of his contract, Koreen seems to think that he could be traded away for a more traditional point guard. While he had an outlier of a season from 3-point range last year (44%), Brogdon is a proven scorer who can handle the ball.
However, this trade falls apart because Brogdon is going to be 31 next season and coming off the worst scoring season he has had in years. His ceiling as a scorer may have been inflated by playing on some iffy Pacers teams, and his Boston tenure was mainly underwhelming.
The Toronto Raptors shouldn’t get Malcolm Brogdon.
The fact that Brogdon was one of the best Sixth Men in the NBA last season, yet was almost traded in the Kristaps Porzingis deal, shows that Boston is not too satisfied with his performance and is willing to dump that asset as soon as possible. Why bail them out like this?
Suppose the Raptors could get some assurance that they were trading away one of their best players for the same Brogdon that was competing for Sixth Man of the Year in Indiana. If so, do that deal!
Without it, the Raptors are trading a younger, ascending player for someone fresh off a substandard year.
Grade: D+