3 Sleeper trade targets for the Toronto Raptors to pursue
Exploring the trade market in the NBA is not only about looking for stars. That's certainly the most fun part of the dreaming fans and teams do about the future, and it matters; teams are almost always prioritizing the acquisition of stars and canvassing the league for which stars they can add. The Toronto Raptors are certainly no different in that regard, pushing into recent trade negotiations for Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard.
Most trades by definition, however, do not include star players. They involve teams adding key role players, moving off of salary or buying low on a struggling prospect. The players moved make $5 and $15 million, not $45 million at a time. Yet many of these trades define the growth and ultimate success of a team. The Denver Nuggets won the title last season mostly because of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, but also because they made a smaller trade to turn Will Barton and Monte Morris into Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
What less-expensive, under-the-radar players could the Raptors target on the trade market this summer? Let's look at three names who could surprisingly be on the move and discuss their fit on the Raptors.
No. 3: Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are destroying worlds in the NBA Playoffs right now, a perfect 6-0 as of Wednesday morning and taking it to the defending champion Denver Nuggets. If the Wolves end up winning the title or coming close, the organization may end up footing the immense luxury tax bill heading their way and accepting the restrictions of crossing over the second luxury tax apron.
At the same time, it's a difficult team-building proposition to be paying $120 million for three centers, and the Wolves may decide that Naz Reid, for as good as he has been, is the most expendable one of those three centers. If so, the Raptors would be smart to give the Wolves a call, as they can offer to take Reid entirely into cap space and not have to send back any matching salary.
Reid is a strong rim protector, not in the stratosphere of Rudy Gobert but perfectly competent. He also brings floor spacing on offense, which would make him an ideal fit with Scottie Barnes. Adding Reid would allow Toronto to combine the best aspects of Kelly Olynyk and Jakob Poeltl and ultimately move on from Poeltl. There is no reason to think Reid can't be a starting center for a good team, and Toronto would be smart to buy low before he gets a chance to prove that.