5 Ideal trade targets for Raptors to pair with Scottie Barnes
The Toronto Raptors probably don’t have their long-term core in place.
Scottie Barnes is the player the franchise is building around, the cornerstone to their foundation. He took a massive step forward last season on both ends of the court, a legitimate Most Improved candidate and All-Defense option before he missed the final two months of the season with a freak hand injury.
The Raptors made a number of moves to find the right pieces to place around Barnes. Immanuel Quickley is a point guard with some size and the shooting ability to play off-ball alongside Barnes. RJ Barrett can play multiple positions and is an elite culture guy. Gradey Dick may be the exact sharpshooter this roster needs, and Ja’Kobe Walter boasts plenty of upside coming in as a rookie.
On the other hand, none of those players has superstar potential, and it’s more likely than not that none of them becomes an All-Star. Where, then, is this team getting its star talent? Whether that’s a No. 1 star to pair with Scottie Barnes or a secondary player to be the No. 1 to Barnes’ top dog, the Raptors could use another star.
Who can the Raptors trade for?
Team President Masai Ujiri thinks that player could come through the draft, and that is certainly possible, but Toronto may be too good to get the draft pick necessary. They do, however, have all of their first-round draft picks plus an extra one from Indiana, which could be the starting place for a trade.
If the Raptors are going to go big-game hunting, what kind of player fits best with Barnes? Should Toronto maximize shooting assuming that Barnes will be the primary ball-handler, or a top-shelf shot creator and let Barnes flex his muscles as a cutter and screener? There is an argument to be made for both, and we’ll explore options along both of those lines.
Let’s look at 5 trade targets who could reasonably be available in the next year or two and see how they fit with Barnes, and why the Raptors should take a close look at them on the trade market.