There are only two days left before the NBA trade deadline passes, and if these blockbuster weekend trades suggest anything, it’s that fans could be treated to further deals that will make you go "woah" and get that heart rate going.
Over in the North, the Raptors have yet to complete or involve themselves in any transactions, but all the insider rumblings across the league indicate Toronto could be an important factor at the trade deadline.
With all eyes on teams like Miami, Phoenix, Golden State, the new-look Lakers, and others, much of these contenders' abilities to get past tax apron restrictions lie in the proficient business hands of Masai Ujiri and his front office delegates.
Ujiri is not a perfect GM by any sense, as fans can recall some questionable decisions, but the recent Luka Doncic trade debacle makes any slip-up in the Masai era look masterful in hindsight.
So, what could Masai be cooking up this time around?
Well, the Toronto Raptors are in a good spot here with their current monetary situation and roster flexibility, but it's all up to the front office actually biting the bullet.
Will Masai Ujiri showcase his prowess at this year's NBA trade deadline?
Toronto has routinely been mentioned as a third or fourth team that is essential for some of the more big-time deals to go through. Of course, that's the smoke coming out of the rumor mill, but these claims aren't just being spewed out of nowhere; there's more than enough context to support the Raptors' involvement in major trade talks.
Tim Bontemps recently told ESPN in an article from February 4:
"Not only will multiteam trades outnumber old-fashioned ones, virtually all trades are going to become three-or-more-team deals as franchises attempt to avoid the aprons. That brings a lot more possibilities for deals, but it also creates more obstacles."Tim Bontemps
Likewise, Brian Windhorst had this to say about the matter in the same article:
"Unprecedented ingenuity. I used to say a three-team trade is a no-team trade because I got tired of listening to ridiculous trade constructions that only need "a third team" to make everyone happy. Making three sides happy is 50% harder than making two happy. But with all of the apron rules making trades harder, there's a chance multiteam trades will outnumber old-fashioned two-team trades."Brian Windhorst
Two-team trades are very much still a thing, but as we even saw in the Luka Doncic trade, the Utah Jazz had to swoop in and take in Jalen Hood-Schifino and some second-rounders to complete the transaction. More or less, the team that just takes assets back without really sacrificing much. This is exactly the spot Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors are in now.
It's not to discount possible assets from Toronto going out as invaluable, as veterans Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and Chris Boucher have been tremendous contributors for the Raptors of late. There is also a world where retaining some of these vets, like Boucher or Brown, could be a possible solution for Toronto moving forward.
However, if Toronto's goal is to build for the future, now is peak showtime for the Raptors to move the chess pieces around and gain valuable capital.