Toronto Raptors: Evaluating trade value before the deadline
By Kyle Craib
Breaking down the trade value for a few of the Toronto Raptors’ key pieces ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline
The February 6th NBA trade deadline is fast approaching and the reining champion Toronto Raptors find themselves in a very interesting position. Following the offseason departure of Kawhi Kawhi Leonard and being pegged by many analysts and fans alike to not make much of an impact this season, the Raptors have surprisingly picked up where they left off.
The Raptors have persevered through their injury trouble earlier in the season, including losing Marc Gasol, Norman Powell, and Pascal Siakam all during a disastrous game against the Orlando Magic in December. Currently sitting in second in the Eastern Conference, trailing only the Milwaukee Bucks for the top spot, the Raptors are in an ideal position to make a return to the conference finals.
There has been no lack of trade rumors circulating around the Raptors this season. Two names being brought in speculated in potential deals are Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol.
In gearing up for the postseason, Raptors General Manager Masai Ujuri confirmed that the team was not going to be passive before the upcoming deadline. With the possibility of a second title on the line, Ujuri said that the team was going to “die trying” in pursuit.
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Riding an 11-game win streak, the momentum for the team is at a season-high; as is the trade value. If Masai really does have a deadline plan for this club, what might that look like? Here’s a look into the breakdown of the Raptors’ top trade pieces on the roster.