Toronto has never been a destination where All-Stars or even fringe All-Star talent openly express a desire to join. So when the Raptors went all-in to acquire former All-Star and Most Improved Player winner Brandon Ingram at the 2025 trade deadline, and at a relatively low cost, it was definitely a breath of fresh air for the organization.
To make things even better, Ingram clarified that he wanted to be with the Raptors franchise and embraced the city well before he even suited up. Toronto secured Ingram with a long-term extension, as he returned to All-Star form this past season and became one of the key faces of this rising Raptors squad.
However, as we all saw in the playoffs, Ingram's game was a step behind his usual regular-season performance. He eventually fell out of Toronto's tough first-round series against the Cavaliers in Game 5 and the remaining games on the schedule, due to injury. It was later announced that he underwent surgery to address lingering right heel pain by removing a heel spur, with the expectation that he will be fully recovered and at full strength in time for training camp.
Ingram taking that necessary step to get back to peak form is certainly uplifting news, but it still doesn't hide the fact that Toronto is backed into a bit of a corner moving forward. BI was integrated into this core as a key regular season force, but in the playoffs, it was clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that Scottie Barnes should be the focus of the franchise.
Raptors' path to a summer blockbuster likely starts with moving on from Brandon Ingram
Now, it's no secret that Barnes has always been the Raptors' cornerstone and crown jewel. But having a high-usage, scoring-focused player like Brandon Ingram was always going to create a bit of a 1A and 1B dilemma for Toronto. Barnes had a lot of questions surrounding his ability to be a key offensive driver while also serving as the backbone of the team's defense. Yet, he proved he could do just that in the postseason.
However, sustaining that level of effort is undoubtedly going to take a heavy toll on Barnes. We saw in those later Cavs games how spent and exhausted he looked. You can only imagine how difficult it will be to maintain that over an 82-game season.
Instead, the Raptors should focus on finding complementary pieces around Barnes, similar to what they've done with guys like Ja'Kobe Walter and Collin Murray-Boyles. They might want to prioritize lengthy defensive wings with capable jump shots, veteran depth, and true big men to play alongside Scottie B. But Toronto will need to find ways to free up the chunk of salary committed to their starting five, and Brandon Ingram serves as an alluring asset to jumpstart those talks.
Despite BI's weak 2026 postseason, there’s a good chance he would still fetch a decent return on the trade market given his standout regular season campaign. For teams looking for a real scoring boost, Ingram presents an excellent opportunity to achieve that.
Toronto has found a good rhythm with Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and their young core, but trading Ingram wouldn’t be an admission of failure. It’s a strategic move to rebalance the roster, with the goal of maximizing Scottie Barnes' potential. Anyways, the 2025-26 season was a valuable learning experience, all things considered.
Moving BI could open the door to acquiring a high-level rim protector, like Jalen Duren, or multiple depth pieces. This would give the Raptors a clear path to becoming a more dangerous and well-rounded team and serve as a warning to the rest of the rising Eastern Conference that they are not here to mess around.
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