The Toronto Raptors have clear weakness to address as the NBA trade deadline approaches with the center position. Pascal Siakam has had to slide over to that spot more often as of late but the team could use a rim protector to elevate the defense.
With players like Fred VanVleet, Siakam, Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby, and Scottie Barnes, there is a genuinely impressive level of talent on the Raptors and it has the team holding a 26-23 record and being just two games out from the final non-play-in spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Unless the Raptors want to deploy Siakam at the five spot long-term, there is a real need to add an impactful center talent. At one point, there was even reporting that a deal with the Indiana Pacers for Domantas Sabonis involving Siakam was discussed at one point, but those talks stalled.
The main option the Raptors seem to have in trade negotiations without disrupting their core is to include Goran Dragic’s expiring $19.4 million salary paired with a first-round pick.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Latest News & Intel Leading Up To The Trade Deadline
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, that trade package combination is something the Raptors ‘are exploring’ as the NBA trade deadline approaches.
One of the options the Raptors discussed was to pursue Myles Turner from the Indiana Pacers, but that was before the information surfaced about the stress reaction in his foot, which was seemingly inaccurately treated as a stress fracture by many in the media.
That framework was brought up in Myles Turner negotiations before he suffered a stress reaction in his foot.
There is greater reason for the Raptors to pursue a trade for Myles Turner knowing his foot injury is not as serious as some had initially feared. While he will be sidelined through the NBA trade deadline, the expected recovery timetable should not keep him sidelined for much time beyond the All-Star break.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Latest News & Intel Leading Up To The Trade Deadline
One of the key sticking points for teams in negotiations has been the Pacers’ asking price in trade talks for Turner. The injury likely widened the disparity between what teams were willing to offer versus what Indiana has sought.
There are other options for the Toronto Raptors to pursue to make a center upgrade. They have been linked to Richaun Holmes in the past but making a sizeable move will be a challenge using an expiring deal for an aging veteran in Goran Dragic that has played in five games this season and a decent-at-best first-round pick.
