The wacky world of NBA trade chatter always comes with a bit of smoke and mirrors, but when several insiders indicate there is reported interest in (x) player or a specific roster upgrade, it gives the fan base something to at least look forward to.
Recently, the Raptors trade rumor mill has been filled with talk of bigs and centers as potential options, which brings some hope that Toronto will improve their depth at the position. The frontcourt, of course, lacks much substance outside of Jakob Poeltl, who has been troubled with injuries and may be on the decline as he enters his thirties.
Among various NBA insiders, including Jake Fischer, Michael Scotto, Michael Grange, and Josh Lewenberg, their reports convey the surplus of potential trade candidates for Toronto to address their most pressing issue, whether through a low-level, medium-sized, or mega splash move, depending on what the team deems best.
Several centers are in play as the Raptors weigh their trade possibilities
Up and down the hypothetical trade target list, there are names like Goga Bitadze, Nick Richards, Daniel Gafford, Domantas Sabonis, and Anthony Davis. If you want to include him as well, the crown jewel is undoubtedly Giannis Antetokounmpo, assuming they can successfully revisit those long discussed trade talks. Likewise, I’ve already mentioned Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe as another potential target, since he’s young and could become part of their future on a budget-friendly extension — if Brooklyn deems him expendable.
The mention of Bitadze from Josh Lewenberg definitely caught my eye, especially since Orlando's depth chart is already quite depleted due to injuries. Outside of Wendell Carter Jr., the former 2019 first-round pick is largely the Magic's primary backup at that position. I understand the Suns' potential logic in their scenario, where they can afford to lose Nick Richards since Mark Williams leads the role, and young pieces like Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro to step in as replacements.
On the other hand, Orlando is still a competitive team out East and needs all the help they can get. Sure, Bitadze is winding down his current deal and is headed for an eventual extension, but I don't see the Magic going out of their way to help a potential playoff foe — that’s just my two cents.
The Nick Richards talk might be Toronto's most budget-conscious move to pursue, since he's on an expiring deal, and they have the expiring contract of Ochai Agbaji and some second-rounders to sweeten the offer. Personally, I have been clamoring for Daniel Gafford to join Toronto for many years now, so he would definitely top my rankings.
Meanwhile, Domantas Sabonis and Anthony Davis would be clear star upgrades for Toronto in the frontcourt. However, a move of such magnitude would involve placing significant faith in the high-stakes gamble of committing to a championship-window core. If it for some reason doesn't work out, the Raptors could face serious setbacks in their future salary flexibility and risk losing valuable assets from a core that has proven to be quite effective when healthy.
The point is, there is no shortage of options for Bobby Webster and the Raptors front office to explore. It would be more surprising if Toronto did not pull the trigger on one of the names mentioned here, given the number of choices and motivations at play. As Jake Fischer noted, Toronto is likely to explore the East standings and overall NBA parity in the coming months before deciding on what move to pursue.