It may have come two years too late, but the Toronto Raptors have finally committed to overhauling their roster. They made three seismic trades this season, including moving on from longtime players Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby.
This doesn’t mean the work is done. The Raptors should focus on building the next great team, rather than just trying to win as much as possible next season. If that’s the goal, there will be more trades as Masai Ujiri reshapes the roster.
Which players should be on trade watch this summer? Let’s look at four players who could move once the season ends.
The least likely player to be on the roster again next season is probably Gary Trent Jr. The team replaced behind him with multiple options at shooting guard in Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji, they didn’t offer enough money in an extension for Trent to re-up, and he will therefore be in unrestricted free agency this summer.
There’s a good chance he’ll just walk, signing with another team perhaps under the mid-level exception for non-taxpayers. However, many teams won’t have access to much to offer Trent but could use a 3-and-D wing in his prime.
This puts a sign-and-trade option on the table. The Raptors have been interested in getting young players back rather than just maximizing their cap space, so they might be willing to find a solution for a team above the luxury tax limit and take back a player in exchange for compensation draft.
