It’s officially June, and you know what that means — summer is just around the corner. As the season heats up, so does the wild world of the NBA. The Finals are now set, with ex-Raptors star Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers facing off against Canadian superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As for all the other teams in the league, they'll just have to sit on the sidelines and figure out what to do with their rosters, hoping they too can make a championship run in the near future. Speaking of teams rumored to be aiming to maximize a potential title-worthy core, the Toronto Raptors are back in the headlines.
A recent comment by Brian Windhorst on the Hoop Collective podcast suggested that significant player target developments are reportedly on the horizon for them. As Windhorst mentioned, the Raptors are seeking "big fish" in the trade market.
Are the Toronto Raptors preparing for a blockbuster star trade?
Hearing something like that should definitely spark a surge of excitement within Raptors Nation, but what exactly qualifies as a "big fish," as Windhorst put it?
Well, for starters, I’m sure many instantly assumed that Windhorst was referring to Giannis Antetokounmpo, which would make sense given another recent insider report by Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, mentioning there is "mutual interest" on both sides.
Of course, as an antsy Raptors fan myself, the thought of Antetokounmpo jumping ship up north is enticing, but I wouldn’t say he’s the only target Toronto could have in mind.
But, returning to what Windhorst mentioned and referencing another comment by NBA insider Shams Charania, this upcoming summer and offseason could be an "explosive summer," given the increased number of calls around the league inquiring about star availability compared to previous years.
With that being said, the "Greek Freak" might be at the top of everyone's leaderboard, but I wouldn’t put it past Masai Ujiri to surprise us all with a trade for another star. Some names gaining traction in the rumor mill include Ja Morant, Trae Young, Domantas Sabonis, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant, just to name a few.
However, I still believe that Antetokounmpo would drastically change the trajectory of Toronto's title hopes upon his arrival — with all due respect to those other guys.
Ultimately, it all comes down to what remains on the Raptors post-trade.
Would Antetokounmpo’s arrival mean Scottie Barnes is out the door? Will Toronto trade Brandon Ingram before they even get a chance to see him in Raptors threads? Those are the big questions still hanging in the air.
One thing is for sure, though: it’s clear Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors have no intention of being on the outside looking in as other teams scout for stars to change their fortunes. They’ll be right there in the mix, aiming to make a huge splash themselves, hoping to reel in the biggest fish available on the market.