To trade or not to trade

[bertarapsfan]

I don't think there is a player on the market that helps us get to the finals, but a player I think which can really help us against the top dogs in the East is Thaddeus Young. He's got the length and mobility to make things difficult for guys like Tatum, Simmons, Giannis and won't be a guy you have to run plays for. I think he makes around the same as Norm.

Thad young would be an awesome get. He's one of the best Giannis Defenders in the NBA. It would very much be similar to the Gasol trade. Grabbing a guy specifically to match up with the star of a potential playoff opponent. Just wonder what it would cost us. Bulls don't seem to be playing him very much and they have carter and Lauri in the frontcourt.
He is on a 3 year deal tho, It would be cool if we could get him, have him have a big playoffs and flip him for a young piece in the summer.

[planetmars]

Thad young would be an awesome get. He's one of the best Giannis Defenders in the NBA. It would very much be similar to the Gasol trade. Grabbing a guy specifically to match up with the star of a potential playoff opponent. Just wonder what it would cost us. Bulls don't seem to be playing him very much and they have carter and Lauri in the frontcourt.
He is on a 3 year deal tho, It would be cool if we could get him, have him have a big playoffs and flip him for a young piece in the summer.

His last year is only partially guaranteed for $6M. Better than the $14M+ that he'll be getting. Could try to swing it in 2021 to a team looking for a little more cap space. I've always liked Young.

I don't think they'll want Serge. And is Young a better player than Norm? Not sure what you'd have to give up to get him. But he'd be an awesome get.

[planetmars]

Gallo seems like a guy that is gettable. Serge+FRP for Gallo? OKC can bring him home for half a season.

Better trade would be Serge+Norm+FRP+SRP for Jrue and Favors.

Man I'd love to have Jrue on the team. Nurse would definitely use the 3 guard line up for sure. But he's a guy that could push Fred to the second unit. Favors would be a big upgrade to Serge. I've always liked him. Underrated big.

[JawsGT]

It is hard to envision a trade that could really push this team into contention. As the season progresses, its looking more and more like a 4 team race between the LA clubs, bucks and sixers. Then again, a month ago i thought this raps team could contend with a little internal improvement. Who knows, a month from now i may feel that way again lol. But I'm trying to temper my expectations, and as far as trades go I'm presently leaning to the side of getting decent under the radar young players and/or picks. There are teams out there that may think the addition of a solid player will allow them to contend as there are a half dozen teams that may be a piece away, I'm just not sure anymore the Raps are one of them, or that there is a player available that could really elevate this team.

[G__Deane]

It is hard to envision a trade that could really push this team into contention. As the season progresses, its looking more and more like a 4 team race between the LA clubs, bucks and sixers. Then again, a month ago i thought this raps team could contend with a little internal improvement. Who knows, a month from now i may feel that way again lol. But I'm trying to temper my expectations, and as far as trades go I'm presently leaning to the side of getting decent under the radar young players and/or picks. There are teams out there that may think the addition of a solid player will allow them to contend as there are a half dozen teams that may be a piece away, I'm just not sure anymore the Raps are one of them, or that there is a player available that could really elevate this team.

Any reasonable trade opportunity likely available today might get the Raps up a peg and maybe a 2nd round appearance assured or ECF appearance. There's nothing to get them to the finals.

[G__Deane]

The daily headlines are constant and VERY consistent:

Last night,
Kawhi and PG combine for 88 in W over the Timberwolves
Harden 54 in W over the Magic
Davis scores 33 and lebron 28 in W over the Heat
Giannis 33 in W over the Grizz and run their winning streak to 17

Who is the Raptor that consistently is in the headlines as the reason they won??? There isn't anybody....
Pascal is an amazing up and coming player nut he's simply not in the elite stratosphere, nor should he be anywhere expected to be yet.

The Raps aren't top 6 and a second round exit is looming as the team is currently constructed.

[JawsGT]

Any reasonable trade opportunity likely available today might get the Raps up a peg and maybe a 2nd round appearance assured or ECF appearance. There's nothing to get them to the finals.

Yeah, i mean there is little point in looking at the top 12 teams, which are the only teams worth considering as in contention. Any players on those teams that could really elevate the raps are likely untouchable. The celts may have a good player they are willing to part with for an upgrade at another position, but when does possible contenders from the same division make a trade? It seems impossible, but a brown for gasol or ibaka deal kinda makes sense for both teams. Although if gasol was involved i think the raps would be looking forward rather than this season. I'm a big fan of brown, but he doesnt help much against embiid or giannis, whereas gasol does.

and when you look at the bottom 18 teams, the obvious players that would help the raps are basically franchise level talents that wont be moved anyways. Towns, booker, young are surely off limits. Beal cant be traded this season. The nets are in the same division and i would think have no motivation to trade dinwiddie. The thunder, magic, spurs, hornets, bulls, grizzlies, knicks and warriors have nothing. So you are looking at players like drummond, mccollum, holiday, reddick and t thompson. Would the kings consider hield, or maybe the jazz or nuggets decide to explore a move for conley or harris or barton, and would the raps be a sensible trading partner? The options are limited, and its not like the raps have an abundance of assets.

[JawsGT]

The daily headlines are constant and VERY consistent:

Last night,
Kawhi and PG combine for 88 in W over the Timberwolves
Harden 54 in W over the Magic
Davis scores 33 and lebron 28 in W over the Heat
Giannis 33 in W over the Grizz and run their winning streak to 17

Who is the Raptor that consistently is in the headlines as the reason they won??? There isn't anybody....
Pascal is an amazing up and coming player nut he's simply not in the elite stratosphere, nor should he be anywhere expected to be yet.

The Raps aren't top 6 and a second round exit is looming as the team is currently constructed.

Its funny cause early on it looked as if there was alot of parity and an argument could be made that any of the top 12 could be a finalist. Now the top dogs are starting to pull away and the gaps between the tiers of teams are becoming evident.

[Puffer]

Hollinger speculation for the 2019/2020 trade deadline from The Athletic:

"How seriously do the Raptors take their own chances?

Remember back in the halcyon days of September when we thought the Raptors would be putting Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka on the trade market come February? That was fun.

Despite losing four of its last five, Toronto remains on pace for a 50-plus win season and in the mix for a top-four playoff seeding. The Raptors also have enough financial flexibility to stay on this trajectory next season with their current group, while still enabling Giannis Antetokounmpo sugar-plum fantasies for the summer of 2021.

In fact, what if Toronto were to go the other way and decide it wanted more punch for the postseason? Could the Raptors actually make themselves better in the short term without materially impacting their long-term hopes?

One way Toronto could have its cake and eat it too would be by trading Norm Powell, another contract and a pick for an upgrade at the wing. Powell’s contract calls for him to make $11.6 million in 2021-22 if he declines his player option; clearing his number off for that summer will make it easier to keep Fred Van Vleet (an unrestricted free agent after the season) and still have max cap room in the crucial 2021 summer.

Obviously the first name everyone will blurt out is “DeRozan!” — doable by combing Powell with Serge Ibaka’s mammoth $23 million expiring contract — but there might be others that make more sense for Toronto’s current plight. Alas, coming up with them is a difficult exercise. Some are mere rentals (Bogdan Bogdanovic, for instance), while others may be signed for too long (Robert Covington). Most of all, a great many options just aren’t enough of an upgrade from the status quo of keeping Powell.

One interesting possibility I’ll at least throw out there — Evan Fournier for Powell, Stanley Johnson and Toronto’s 2020 first. (Note for clarity’s sake: This is entirely me speculating). Fournier has been Orlando’s best player this year, so that would be a tough ask from the Magic’s end, but the Magic would end up with a cheaper, younger player who is signed for longer, plus a pick in the 20s. Orlando GM Jeff Weltman also was in Toronto when the Raps drafted Powell, so the history is there. Meanwhile, Fournier’s offensive mojo would presumably raise Toronto’s short-term ceiling, especially if he could be persuaded to opt into the final year of his deal at $18.5 million in 2020-21, aligning him perfectly with Toronto’s current timeline.

The Raptors have other avenues for improvement, of course. Ibaka is a giant expiring that can be paired with a pick for a player, plus they are one of the few teams that can combine small deals (say, Stanley Johnson, Patrick McCaw and Fred Van Vleet) into a big enough dollar package that it gets interesting. In the end, it may not be a lack of options that limits Toronto, but rather a lack of suitable targets."

Fournier for Powell and a 1st. Always liked Fournier. Certainly more consistent than Powell, but then I only see him playing against the Raptors. Comments?

[S.R.]

Hollinger speculation for the 2019/2020 trade deadline from The Athletic:

"How seriously do the Raptors take their own chances?

Remember back in the halcyon days of September when we thought the Raptors would be putting Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka on the trade market come February? That was fun.

Despite losing four of its last five, Toronto remains on pace for a 50-plus win season and in the mix for a top-four playoff seeding. The Raptors also have enough financial flexibility to stay on this trajectory next season with their current group, while still enabling Giannis Antetokounmpo sugar-plum fantasies for the summer of 2021.

In fact, what if Toronto were to go the other way and decide it wanted more punch for the postseason? Could the Raptors actually make themselves better in the short term without materially impacting their long-term hopes?

One way Toronto could have its cake and eat it too would be by trading Norm Powell, another contract and a pick for an upgrade at the wing. Powell’s contract calls for him to make $11.6 million in 2021-22 if he declines his player option; clearing his number off for that summer will make it easier to keep Fred Van Vleet (an unrestricted free agent after the season) and still have max cap room in the crucial 2021 summer.

Obviously the first name everyone will blurt out is “DeRozan!” — doable by combing Powell with Serge Ibaka’s mammoth $23 million expiring contract — but there might be others that make more sense for Toronto’s current plight. Alas, coming up with them is a difficult exercise. Some are mere rentals (Bogdan Bogdanovic, for instance), while others may be signed for too long (Robert Covington). Most of all, a great many options just aren’t enough of an upgrade from the status quo of keeping Powell.

One interesting possibility I’ll at least throw out there — Evan Fournier for Powell, Stanley Johnson and Toronto’s 2020 first. (Note for clarity’s sake: This is entirely me speculating). Fournier has been Orlando’s best player this year, so that would be a tough ask from the Magic’s end, but the Magic would end up with a cheaper, younger player who is signed for longer, plus a pick in the 20s. Orlando GM Jeff Weltman also was in Toronto when the Raps drafted Powell, so the history is there. Meanwhile, Fournier’s offensive mojo would presumably raise Toronto’s short-term ceiling, especially if he could be persuaded to opt into the final year of his deal at $18.5 million in 2020-21, aligning him perfectly with Toronto’s current timeline.

The Raptors have other avenues for improvement, of course. Ibaka is a giant expiring that can be paired with a pick for a player, plus they are one of the few teams that can combine small deals (say, Stanley Johnson, Patrick McCaw and Fred Van Vleet) into a big enough dollar package that it gets interesting. In the end, it may not be a lack of options that limits Toronto, but rather a lack of suitable targets."

Fournier for Powell and a 1st. Always liked Fournier. Certainly more consistent than Powell, but then I only see him playing against the Raptors. Comments?

This is very well put - it's the lack of targets that's the problem. With how Powell is playing now, it's hard to find an upgrade that's also available and a gettable target.

Fournier would be fine and probably make the team a bit better. I don't think that's worth tossing away a first round though. I mean what does Fournier over Powell get you in the end? A 5% greater chance of getting bounced in the 3rd round instead of the 2nd?

With the way this franchise drafts and develops right now, I'd put more value than usual in late 1st round picks.

[DanH]

I don't like the idea of trading a first for anything besides a star. Going to need quality cheap labour in the coming years, and Masai has proven he can work miracles with first round picks.

[planetmars]

I like Fournier and has been playing great this season. But Norm has given us some consistent games the past few weeks. Feels like he's turning a corner. I don't think we should trade him unless we get a serious upgrade (someone like Jrue Holiday for example). I think we're going to have to move him before 2021 but I don't think we should trade him this season unless we can get a serious upgrade. Fournier is a good player but he's not a great defender.

Last year we had Kyle covering him 1:1 in the playoffs and disrupting him. He's a guy that you can game plan for quite easily. Norm's a bit tougher since he can do multiple things on offense, but can also defend. He has a knack of getting into Middleton's head for example.

[JawsGT]

Yeah thats a bad trade. I'd prefer norm, but even if fournier is an upgrade its not worth attaching a 1st rounder.

[bertarapsfan]

Theirs been very few opportunitys in Norms contract where he wouldn't be considered a negative assets going out, making us having to attach a pick to him It the biggest benefit to how he's been playing is that right now he looks like a guy young teams could take a flier on. I would trade Norm for a veteran guy like J.J, or Iggy or a rental like Bertans or Bodganovic.
The problem with Powell is you don't pull the trigger, he struggles for 2 months then we have a negative assest on our hands again. Bobby and Masai may look to strike while the iron is hot.

[MixxAOR]