Toronto Raptors
After losing Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol this past offseason in free agency, the Toronto Raptors were left with a massive hole in their frontcourt that they have tried to cover up with Aron Baynes and Chris Boucher. While Boucher has been great at times for them and looks like a young player they are going to look to grow into a franchise big man, this team really needs another reliable frontcourt player.
The Raptors do not really prefer to play “small-ball” with Pascal Siakam at the center position and as a result, they could be a preferable destination for DeMarcus Cousins. Not only could they offer him plenty of playing time at the center position, but they were a championship team not too long ago.
The Raptors won their first championship in franchise history in 2019 and followed up their championship season with their fifth consecutive 50+ win season. After starting off this season just 2-8, the Raptors are now back in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference and one of the hottest teams in the league.
They have really figured things out and are starting to look like the dangerous Raptors team we are accustomed to seeing. With Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell all playing at a high-level right now, the Raptors should be a very attractive destination for someone like DeMarcus Cousins, who is looking to win now and make an impact.
While Cousins would not really help the Raptors defensively, he could be a great big man for them to fill in 15-20 minutes per game, especially since Aron Baynes has not been too productive this year.
Adding another offensive weapon to their team could be exactly what the Raptors need to not only win 50+ games for the sixth consecutive year, but make another deep playoff push in pursuit of their second title in the last three seasons.