5 reasons why Toronto Raptors would benefit from Damian Lillard's arrival
As the Damian Lillard trade saga continues, more teams emerge as candidates to land the All-Star guard. One team that appears to have joined the race is the Toronto Raptors, who reportedly are in pole position to land the All-Star guard after he requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers on July 1.
According to Marc J. Spears of ESPN, the Raptors are among the favorites to trade for Lillard, even though talks between the two sides remain ongoing. Portland wants to find a suitable deal for the superstar guard by the start of training camp next Tuesday, October 3.
It is still unclear what offer Toronto has made for Damian Lillard, but it will likely need to include a few players, draft picks and compensation to convince the Blazers to deal.
Scottie Barnes should be considered untouchable in trade talks, and the same will likely be the case with fellow star Pascal Siakam. At the same time, OG Anunoby is the most likely player to move, while Gary Trent Jr. could be also added to the mix.
With that in mind, let's take a look at how a Damian Lillard trade would benefit the Raptors heading into the 2023-24 season.
5 reasons why Toronto Raptors would benefit from a Damian Lillard trade
#1, Replacing Fred VanVleet
Fred VanVleet moved to the Houston Rockets in the summer and the Toronto Raptors were minus a top-tier guard.
The arrival of FIBA World Cup champion Dennis Schroder partially covered the gap, but bringing Damian Lillard in looks like the ideal replacement for VanVleet's departure.
#2, Roster upgrade
After a 41-41 regular-season record and a play-in elimination, it was still questionable whether the Raptors would be able to maintain a contending status this year, especially after the departure of Fred VanVleet.
Damian Lillard's arrival would significantly upgrade the roster and would put the Raptors back to title contention.
#3, Creating a Big Three
With Toronto set to give an even bigger role to young star Scottie Barnes, if Damian Lillard arrives on the team the Raptors would be in a position to create their own Big Three.
Pascal Siakam is on an expiring contract and should be motivated for another elite year, so a Big Three of Lillard, Siakam and Barnes would make Toronto fans dream big.
#4, Maintaining a long-term contending status
Damian Lillard has four years left on his current contract with the Blazers, so whoever lands him could create a contending status long-term.
That's the case with the Raptors. They would be in a position to fight for the championship for as long as Lillard and Barnes are on the team, while Siakam could sign an extension now or a new deal as a free agent in the summer.
#5, Raptors entering the title race in the 2023-24 season
The most important thing is that the Toronto Raptors will emerge as top title contenders this season should they land Lillard.
Landing the All-Star guard should be enough to help the franchise enter the title race for the first time in the post-Kawhi Leonard era. Leonard led the Raptors to their sole championship in 2019.