The 2023 offseason is going to be a major one for the Toronto Raptors. After blowing a 19-point lead in the NBA Play-In Tournament against the Chicago Bulls, things needed to change. That process began when the team decided to move on from head coach Nick Nurse.
Nurse’s career with the Raptors as head coach got off to a perfect start as the team won the NBA Championship in 2019. But, they were unable to replicate that success, missing the postseason in two out of the next four seasons.
Finding a head coach will be the No. 1 task for the franchise this offseason, but there are also major question marks with the roster. Will this be the offseason that general manager Masai Ujiri shakes things up after going back and forth about doing it last season?
Toronto was in the race for Kevin Durant and Donovan Mitchell but was hesitant to include Scottie Barnes Jr. in the deal. Ahead of the deadline, Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet were all involved in trade rumors again, but no deals were made. Instead, they were buyers, acquiring Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics & Toronto Raptors Updates
This offseason, those rumors will once again pop up and the question will be asked; will the Raptors trade Barnes? If the right player becomes available, they will have to consider all options. One player to keep an eye on according to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report is Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.
Admittedly, it is hard to imagine the Celtics making a trade this offseason centered around Brown, which Buckley also states. But, they dangled him in trade talks for Durant last summer and if they feel a trade can be made to upgrade the roster, Brad Stevens will consider it.
With free agency potentially looming for Brown in 2024, all options need to be on the table for the Celtics. If they get the feeling that Brown isn’t going to commit to them long-term, seeing what kind of value he has on the trade market makes plenty of sense.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics & Toronto Raptors Updates
For Toronto, a potential trio of VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and Brown sounds like one that can make a lot of noise in the Eastern Conference. As evident by this year’s playoffs, the title race is wide open. One addition of that caliber could have the Raptors right back in the mix as contenders.
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