Come next season, the Toronto Raptors could look very different from how they do now. Currently, losing has largely defined the 2024-25 campaign, but with a new star in town—Brandon Ingram—the Raptors expect to re-enter the playoff mix. Additionally, if the Raptors add a top talent from the 2025 NBA Draft class, Toronto could make some noise in the East with a balanced mix of rising young players and established NBA stars.
What if the Raptors' pursuit of Brandon Ingram was just the first of many major moves the Toronto front office has in mind?
In the latest update from Jake Fischer in "The People's Insider" column for Marc Stein's Substack, he highlighted two key points: first, that Toronto was exploring a path to acquire De'Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks (who was ultimately traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers), and second, that rival executives were concerned about the Raptors' leverage to enter the superstar sweepstakes for Jimmy Butler or Kevin Durant.
As Fischer noted, the Raptors and Masai Ujiri have a well-known knack for going all in to acquire a superstar. Their "Hail Mary attempt" to bring Kawhi Leonard up north in the summer of 2018 ultimately paid off, resulting in an NBA championship. Fischer would also bring up: "Be advised that the Raptors' front office did poke around Durant back during the summer of 2022, sources say, when he first requested a trade out of Brooklyn."
So, what exactly can we take away from Jake Fischer's insights? It seems to me that the Toronto Raptors are in a much better position to acquire a star than they were during the initial Kevin Durant sweepstakes in the summer of 2022. The rumors from that time clearly indicated that Toronto was keen on a Durant deal, provided it did not involve their key building block for the future, Scottie Barnes.
Is Masai Ujiri crafting a plan for Raptors to land another superstar?
Fast forward to 2025, and the ability to acquire a superstar—once coveted or deemed untouchable—has shifted dramatically (the Luka Doncic trade turned the NBA world on its head). Using the current Phoenix Suns as an example, being the 11th seed in the Western Conference is far from ideal—especially with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant leading the charge.
If this season ends in mediocrity for them, there’s a chance that one or even both of those stars may want to leave that bleak situation. That's when a sneaky team like Toronto could swoop in and capitalize. Masai Ujiri is known for not rushing to complete deals just for the sake of it. The Raptors front office is infamous for its patient approach, waiting for the right moment to strike and maximize the return on a trade, for better or for worse.
Toronto's future depends significantly on Barnes and Ingram's ability to coexist. However, I wouldn’t consider the other players untouchable; there are several candidates who could be traded for more win-now pieces. The Raptors are well-positioned with assets to complete a star deal, including multiple up-and-comers with value (Ja'Kobe Walter, perhaps Gradey Dick), young stars with tradeable contracts (Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett), and draft picks if necessary.
Adding fuel to the fire was Fischer's mention of the following regarding RJ Barrett:
"All of that [referring to Barrett's contract situation, Gradey Dick future extension] makes Barrett someone who has to be monitored as a potential trade candidate once the offseason arrives. The modern NBA is now dominated by contract extensions and players getting traded to the team that is willing to give them one ... with surrounding players occasionally rendered casualties along the way."Jake Fischer, February 12, 2025
It might not be the best offer on the market, but hypothetically, why wouldn’t a team consider a trade package made up of RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley, Ja'Kobe Walter or Gradey Dick, and picks for a star who wants out? The bright side for Toronto is that they don’t have to worry about giving up Scottie Barnes in a deal, as they’ve added other assets that could be enough to complete the right transaction.
It isn’t set in stone that a desirable superstar wants out—at least not right now. However, given the outcome of the 2025 playoffs and the title picture, the offseason could be very juicy, and the Toronto Raptors will be right there to see where they fit into it all.