See the ideal Raptors 5-man starting lineup after the trade deadline.
Toronto Raptors fans are eyeing the trade deadline with as much interest as they are the next few games on the schedule.
With Scottie Barnes establishing himself as a star in the making and the core currently unable to mold themselves into a winner, a trade could finally be in the works.
Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby have dominated trade discussions amid their impending free agencies, and the team’s poor 12-18 might give Masai Ujiri the kick in the rear end he needs to realize the roster as currently constructed is not going to win much if anything.
The Raptors have been linked to deals with both Western Conference contenders like the Sacramento Kings as well as playoff hopefully in the East like the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks who need one more big name that can help set themselves apart.
No matter who the Raptors end up making a deal with, the starting lineup will be quite different after the deadline comes and goes.
Ujiri can set Toronto up for long-term success if he makes prudent trades that improve the spacing and overall offensive creativity in their starting units.
Center: Jakob Poeltl
When you’re getting paid just under $20 million for the next four seasons, you’re going to be in the starting lineup.
While Poeltl has drawn the ire of vocal segments of this fanbase for his inconsistency this season, the best nights the 7-1 big man puts on the floor make his contract look like an underpay.
While he does clog up the paint due to his lack of offensive skill, the fact he’s a great finisher in the interior has helped Toronto get some tough points during offensive droughts.
His defensive potential and skill as a screener are apparent, and his best basketball is still very firmly in the windshield.
Power Forward: Keegan Murray.
The Kings don’t seem overly willing to part ways with Murray right now, and the Raptors’ advances for the former No. 4 overall pick were turned down in the past, but the dream scenario still consists of Monte McNair’s steely resolve eventually whittling away and Murray ending up in a Raptors uniform.
Murray brings first-rate shooting ability with a higher offensive ceiling than most of the players picked in his class. While he isn’t a finished product quite yet on the defensive end, getting Murray for a player in Siakam who could hit free agency after the deadline would be a gigantic victory of seismic proportions.
Small Forward: OG Anunoby.
While Anunoby has been the subject of a great many trade rumors during this part of the season, the best path to success for the Raptors is still centered around keeping him in town and signing him to a nine-figure extension that makes him one of the highest-paid wings his age in the league.
His defensive skills, 3-point shooting, and complementary fit alongside Scottie Barnes are difficult to get in three separate players, let alone one package.
OG could fetch quite a haul, but trading Siakam for a bigger collection of assets, and rolling with Anunoby alongside Barnes might be the more prudent move.
Shooting Guard: Gary Trent Jr.
While Trent got off to a borderline unwatchable start this season, he looks like his old self once again. After putting up a goose egg eight games ago against the Charlotte Hornets, Trent has shot 44% from the field and slightly over 40% from 3-point range on 7.1 attempts from deep per contest.
Trent may not have made himself a ton of money ahead of his impending free agency, but the last few weeks have reaffirmed the notion that he is a tremendous shooter who can be a weapon when he’s hot.
Toronto needs more players like him, but one in the starting lineup will have to suffice for now.
Point Guard: Scottie Barnes.
Darko Rajakovic seemed to be willing and ready to let Barnes’ playmaking talents shine when he benched Dennis Schroder in a dominant win against the Washington Wizards.
Barnes has averaged 24.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game in his last nine contests, showing the raw talent he has on display.
Why is Barnes on track to thrive as a point guard this year when he hasn’t been able to adapt to that role previously? Perhaps it’s his much-improved shooting, meaning that defenders need to take him seriously on the perimeter. Maybe his improved passing and playmaking make him a more natural fit.
The Raptors have given Barnes some more freedom in recent weeks, giving him the ability to hunt for mismatches. With his combination of creativity, physical talent, and motor, it will be easy for him to bully some of the smaller guards he will come into contact with.