Raptors who must be traded soon
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In the months leading up to the NBA trade deadline, the Toronto Raptors are certainly going to be a team to keep an eye on. As a team in the midst of a rebuild, the Raptors definitely appear to be a team that is poised to be sellers. But that might not be the case. The Raptors could emerge as potential buyers on the trade market. In any case, the Raptors have a couple of players on the team that they must trade ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
When the Raptors opted to trade Pascal Siakam last season, that pretty much signaled their intent to rebuild. That move was actually proceeded by their trade with the New York Knicks involving OG Anunoby. The Raptors made it clear their desire to build around Scottie Barnes as the franchise centerpiece.
The front office has managed to add other young talent to their core such as RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick. Amid rumors that they could be in the hunt for another impact talent at the trade deadline, the Raptors must still look to offload a couple of players via trade.
Raptors could move Bruce Brown
After Bruce Brown played a key role on the 2023 Denver Nuggets championship team, he became a highly sought after free agent. The Nuggets were unable to re-sign him and he ended up joining the Indiana Pacers. But the Pacers shipped him off to the Toronto Raptors by the trade deadline and he's a candidate to be moved again.
Brown has yet to make his 2024-25 season debut as he's been sidelined due to knee surgery and he still remains out as he continues his conditioning. Although he hasn't yet been cleared to play, he is supposed to be able to return to the lineup this season.
Brown is a quality veteran who can help a few contending teams. The Nuggets would certainly benefit from him still being on the roster. Aside from being a veteran mentor of sorts, Brown doesn't quite fit with the Raptors' current roster. And his contract expires this offseason so he's likely gone one way or another.
He doesn't have a place in the rotation and the Raptors must look hard into moving him by the NBA trade deadline.
Raptors could move Chris Boucher
The lone remaining member of the 2019 championship team, Boucher has been having a resurgent season. He's spent the entirety of his NBA career with the Raptors save for the 2017-18 season when he appeared in one game for the Golden State Warriors.
For the most part, Boucher has been a key rotation player for the Raptors in the seasons following the 2019 title run. But last year, he suffered an MCL injury that cut his season short. This year though, he's taken advantage of the injury to Kelly Olynyk and has emerged as a key reserve big man.
Boucher has appeared in 25 games for the Raptors this season at a little over 18 minutes per game. He's been averaging 9.7 points and 4.6 rebounds with splits of 44.9 percent shooting from the field and 75 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Olynyk has since returned to the lineup, but the Raptors have Jakob Poeltl dealing with a groin injury now. The Raptors also have Jonathan Mogbo who fits the team's future timeline better. When Poeltl returns, Boucher could find himself out of the rotation. The Raptors must look into moving him as well at the NBA trade deadline. Boucher can certainly help a contender looking for big man depth.
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