The Toronto Raptors may not be done making moves, especially with the trade market still looking as fertile as ever. The players currently on the Toronto roster might not be the exact same group that will take the floor in their opening night matchup in October.
The Raptors have one NBA roster spot and one two-way spot left open, though many expect Jeff Dowtin to earn that final professional opening. However, if the rumors surrounding Ayo Dosunmu have some legs, the Raptors may end up moving one of their veterans to free up some space.
Of course, there are plenty of rumblings surrounding some of the core players on this team who could be on their way out the door. Toronto will likely entertain some of those offers, as they love to keep their names percolating around the rumor mill at this time of the year.
These three players still on the roster could all be playing elsewhere next season, as the Raptors could potentially get back either a haul of assets that makes them better in the story term or the flexibility this front office has typically prioritized over the last decade.
3 Toronto Raptors who could be traded before the season.
3. Thad Young
The Raptors decided not to waive the veteran young after the initial free agent flurry despite the fact that he has fallen out of the rotation. While Masai Ujiri likely wants to make sure that he can “win” that trade with the Spurs, Young might be a sunk cost for the Raptors.
Young could still eat up some solid minutes in the NBA, as he proved to be savvy enough to vacuum up rebounds and make timely passes. His veteran mentorship is important, but his on-court talents wouldn’t be well served as a reserve on a team trying to crack into the postseason.
Will the Toronto Raptors trade Thad Young?
If the Raptors can get back one very late draft pick for Young, that should still be considered a win. Young has been a good soldier who has produced in every spot he’s been, and a team with a shot at a championship might be willing to part with that level of capital.
Young is taking up space on this roster, as there isn’t a way for him to get quality minutes without taking time away from one of the many young players the Raptors want to develop. Young has earned the right to ring chase after such a long and quality career.
2. Pascal Siakam
The Raptors could have easily shut down the deluge of trade rumors centered around their best player in the last few weeks, and they have not done so. With only one year remaining on his contract, it is fair to wonder if Siakam is going to remain on this team long-term.
While Siakam wants to stay and has reportedly hinted that he would not be willing to sign an extension with any team that acquires him from the Raptors, Toronto might be too afraid of him eating up a huge chunk of their cap in the future. An All-NBA year could lead to a supermax ask.
Are the Toronto Raptors trading Pascal Siakam?
The return Siakam could net with only one year left on his deal seems to generally be around one impactful young player on a controllable contract, a productive veteran that helps match salary, one unprotected first-round pick, and assorted goodies to sweeten the pot.
The Raptors would need to make a wholesale philosophical change in how they view this current team and their prospects of creating a winner in the next few years even to pull off such a move, but unconventional moves have proven to be a staple of Masai Ujiri’s tenure.
1. Chris Boucher
Boucher seems like the most tradeable asset the team has right now, as he has a contract that can be moved without costing an arm and a leg, and he has been a reasonably productive forward with some shot-blocking potential on the defensive end.
If someone put a gun to the front office’s proverbial head and forced them to pick between Boucher and Precious Achiuwa, the younger Nigerian big with more athleticism than the aging Boucher might win out. Such a choice may need to be made, especially if Dosunmu is in the picture.
The Toronto Raptors could deal Chris Boucher.
While not an irreplaceable rotation stalwart, whoever trades for Boucher should feel confident they are getting someone who can play every day, hustle hard on defense, and score enough as a finisher inside to make parting with a draft pick worth it in the long run.
Boucher has been a jewel of the Toronto developmental system, with the Raptors already having taken him from a fringe G League player to a solid backup big. However, in the same summer Fred VanVleet left, Boucher could be deal to open up space for Dosunmu.