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The Toronto Raptors’ wacky roster composition seems to be catching up to them. Despite having All-Star talent in the likes of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby, the Raptors have struggled this season without a true center and a clear lack of backcourt depth. ing. The Raptors have only won 18 of his 41 games, and his Eastern conference standings have slipped to 11th.
Their underperformance has aptly sparked trade talks with core players such as Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. All four will yield sizable gains in potential deals – especially Anunoby, who analysts predict will earn a “Donovan Mitchell-like” amount. , with their ability to clear up space on the floor with their reliable outside shots, is predicted to be an elite piece that complements the already established contenders.
VanVleet, on the other hand, is an imminent free agent if he declines a player option next season, and could be an attractive trade option for a team, especially in need of a confident shot creator from downtown. The 2022 All-Star has seen his shooting efficiency deteriorate this season, and his $21.3 million salary this year makes for a more complicated scenario for navigating potential trades.
Nonetheless, the Raptors’ status as the trade deadline approaches is still unclear. They are just half a game back from the 10th and final play-in spot and 4.5 games back from the 6th and final outright playoff spot.
They are very likely to pursue more marginal deals to remedy their most obvious weakness if they decide not to sell their best assets yet. , sticks out like a sore thumb.
Toronto Raptors’ biggest need: Shooting outside
One of the main reasons behind the Raptors’ struggles this season is their inability to shoot well from downtown. Nearly all of the Raptors’ rotation players (Malaki Flin and his OG Anunoby being the only exceptions) suffer dropoffs in terms of three-pointers and his shootermanship. Fred VanVleet is the biggest culprit in this decline, and the Raptors are suffering as a result.
The Raptors rank 25th in the NBA overall in 3 shots per game. That’s not a good number for a team with playoff hopes. To make matters worse, they rank 29th in the league in 3-point percentage, cementing their weaknesses with a dangerous combination of volume and accuracy. So Toronto needs to shoot better or get a better marksman in the trade if they want to turn their season around.
That said, if a late-season comeback is their goal, they shouldn’t be trading off Gary Trent Jr. Head coach Nick Nurse has taken a tough stance on Trent given his reduced deflection from game to game, but GTJ still remains one of their deadliest outside threats. Still, with many teams continuing to go after Trent, the Raptors might think it best to pick up the coveted asset.
It’s no surprise to expect the Raptors to return to average shooting count. VanVleet, who has a career 3 shooting percentage of 37.5%, has a sub-optimal shooting percentage from deep this season, 32.8%. In this regard, some improvement is expected.
So another direction the Raptors should take is to add a legitimate center and move Pascal Siakam into a more natural position at the 4. Considering they boast Anunoby’s services, their perimeter defense had a smothering moment, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. But the Raptors allow opponents his fourth-lowest shooting percentage, negating their often desperate ability to create extra possessions by forcing turnovers.
The San Antonio Spurs’ Jakob Poeltl’s asking price remains high, but Jakob Poeltl could be a worthy addition to the Raptors. Poeltl is no stranger to the Raptors’ system and started his career in Toronto. But it’s hard to imagine Poeltl moving the needle enough for the Raptors to give up a first-round pick and make a trade worth it.
After all, the Raptors have to deal with 3-pointers somehow. Nick Nurse said their struggles from downtown have even contributed to their occasional defensive predicament. there is.
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