Raptors perfect trade target could be waiting in the Lonestar state

Scottie Barnes.

That's the only player on the Toronto Raptors roster who is a natural forward and is ready to play NBA minutes this season. Just one.

RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick are shooting guards who will be asked to play minutes at small forward; Barrett is expected to start at the 3. Kelly Olynyk is a big who will play some minutes at power forward, although his best fit is playing center next to Barnes. Jonathan Mogbo is a forward but as a rookie second-round pick is likely not ready to step into a rotation role from the jump.

The Raptors need forwards

The Raptors could desperately use another player (or two) at forward, the league's most valuable position. Perhaps they find someone to sign out of the G League or after other teams cut down their roster heading into the season. More likely, finding a solution means looking to the trade market.

Forwards are understandably valued around the league, and many teams don't have one to spare. A few teams have depth at the position, however, and in the case of the Houston Rockets, too much depth to functionally keep inside of the rotation.

The Rockets made a significant step forward last season, going from the very bottom of the standings to 11th, finishing .500 and illustrating a near-perfect marriage between experienced veterans and young prospects. As they continue to grow, there are a number of players who have claim to the forward positions and only so much playing time able to be handed out.

Dillon Brooks signed a lucrative deal to start at small forward and improve the Rockets' defensive intensity, and Jabari Smith Jr. is entrenched as the starting power forward. Tari Eason is a high-energy, high-impact combo forward. Amen Thompson has guard skills and a forward body and thrived last year playing as the power forward on bench units. Jeff Green is the old man who can steady lineups with his physical presence.

That is a loaded rotation, and we haven't even mentioned Jae'Sean Tate, a proven defensive weapon and a player who paid his dues on moribund Rockets teams and now has no real place in the rotation. He is a player many teams have been calling about, and the Raptors should be one of them.

The Raptors could trade for Jae'Sean Tate

The 6'4" Tate is incredibly strong and has played forward since entering the NBA as an undrafted player. He isn't a high octane scorer; in fact, he has shot just 30.6 percent from deep for his career, and last year averaged just 9.3 points per 36 minutes. Yet he also attacks the glass as a smaller player, is everywhere on defense and the Rockets were significantly better on defense when he played than when he didn't.

Tate's value shouldn't be too high given the Rockets' loaded roster, and the Raptors could match his $7 million salary without too much issue. Would Chris Boucher and a second-round pick get a deal done? Would Houston prefer Davion Mitchell as the starting point for a deal? Any chance they want to take a flier on Ochai Agbaji?

The Raptors wouldn't be uncovering a hidden gem waiting to turn into an All-Star; Tate has real offensive limitations, and he would likely need to be Scottie Barnes' backup, as the shooting fit of both playing together would be difficult to manage. In a smaller role, however, he could give Toronto the depth on the forward line they simply do not have.

Not all trades are blockbusters. This kind of a deal is a relatively small one that meets a need. That's not a bad thing for the Raptors to pursue.