The Toronto Raptors won the 2019 NBA Finals, their first championship in franchise history, but success has been hard to come by for this organization since their title run. Toronto went 53-19 and lost in the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2019-20 season and then last year, they finished with a 27-45 record, their worst since going 23-43 during the 2011-12 season.
With Kyle Lowry now in Miami and the Raptors not having much of an identity, there were a lot of question marks surrounding this team to begin the new season and these questions still exist. Their core of Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., and rookie Scottie Barnes definitely is talented, but this cannot be said about the rest of their roster.
Ranking 30th in the league in bench points per game, the Raptors second-unit has been borderline useless and this team has a lot of work to do if they are to reach the playoffs this season.
For years, the Western Conference has reigned over the Eastern Conference in terms of total team talent, but this year, the Eastern Conference actually looks stronger than that of their counterparts out West.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: This Raptors-Warriors Trade Is Focused On Pascal Siakam
The margin for error in the East this season is very slim and beginning the year 9-11 has to be worrisome for the Raptors.
Given all the talent in the Eastern Conference this year, the Raptors are going to have to finish with at least a .500 record to make the playoffs, which is why these next few months are going to be critical for them.
Injuries are going to happen, but Toronto is going to need the depth on their roster to withstand said setbacks. They were able to win games with Pascal Siakam out to begin the year due to the contributions of OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes, but if VanVleet or Trent Jr. miss an extended period of time in the backcourt, this team could be in trouble.
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: This Raptors-Warriors Trade Is Focused On Pascal Siakam
With no real sense of where this franchise is trending, it is hard to pinpoint certain moves they should make, but Masai Ujiri has never been afraid to spice things up on his roster ahead of the trade deadline. Last season, the Toronto Raptors moved Norman Powell for Gary Trent Jr. and we could see them make an equally as big move this year depending on what their record is entering 2022.
Do the Raptors have the ability to make some big trades ahead of this season’s trade deadline? Let’s take a look at three players Toronto could target, as proposed by Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, and evaluate whether or not the Raptors should “pass or pursue” said trade targets.
