3 burning questions Raptors must answer as 2023-24 schedule ramps up again

1. Is a trade happening?

The Raptors can't escape trade rumors, nor should they. The team is aggressively average as currently constructed, and many of their big names in Siakam, Anunoby, and Gary Trent Jr. are all slated to hit the open market once the 2023-24 season comes to a close.

Trading Anunoby might make the least sense of the three, as he is having a great season and fits in seamlessly as a complementary option behind Barnes. Getting something for Trent could be worth considering, as he seems very likely to leave in the offseason.

The Toronto Raptors may need to make a trade.

Siakam is the big name that could still be moved if everything goes south. Moving him might be the best move regardless of results, as trading him would enable the Raptors to both build a legitimite bench and be freed from the burden of paying him.

The Raptors already blew it last year by not selling pieces and doubling down on a flawed core, but they will revert to full-on disaster status if they don't move off some of their best assets and go into the offseason with three of their best six players on the open market.