After an eye-opening playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Raptors are one of many teams that could make some noise on the trade market this offseason. They have all of their own draft picks in the next few years, salaries to move, and a young star to build an improved team around.
The Raptors have been linked—mostly via mock trades and speculations—to many players who could be available on the trade market, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant. Trading for any of those three would cost significant assets in exchange for the promise of a much-improved offense. It would also accelerate the Raptors’ timeline.
Antetokounmpo is 31, Irving is 34, and Durant is 37. The former also has a player option for the 2027-28 season and can become a free agent. Any trade for a star who is significantly older than Scottie Barnes would give the Raptors a relatively small window to compete for a championship before having to start over once again.
So, the Raptors have to ask themselves: Are they willing to part with significant trade assets to get a player who makes them a potential contender for a few seasons at most before they have to rebuild around Scottie Barnes again? Or should they wait for an opportunity to go all-in on someone who fits Barnes’s timeline better?
The Raptors don’t have to rush into contention
Fans want to see the Raptors compete, and understandably so. This year’s playoff appearance brought back memories of rooting for a team that can actually win on the big stage and isn’t chasing a lottery pick. The players are hungry, too. Just making the playoffs and pushing the Cavaliers to seven games was a win. Still, the general consensus after Game 7 seemed to be that the players all wanted more and thought that they could have had it if Immanuel Quickley and Brandon Ingram had been healthy.
Rushing into contention with a big swing on the trade market can be tricky, though, and the Raptors may benefit from some patience. Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Collin Murray-Boyles, Jamal Shead, and Ja’Kobe Walter are all 25 or younger. Giving them another season to get better and seeing what they can get with their first-round pick could make it easier to decide which player would be worth going all-in for.
Of course, that doesn’t mean just standing pat. Even if the Raptors don’t make a big move, they have to find ways to improve the offense, which will be tricky with so many players already under contract and many of them on expensive contracts.
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