NBA Rumors: LA Lakers, Mavericks and Suns amongst teams keeping eye on Eastern Conference team's activity
The Toronto Raptors are five games under .500 and are entering a critical part of their season. NBA executives are monitoring the situation in Toronto as they start a six-game homestand on Wednesday. The latest rumors suggest that the Raptors could set up the trade market and create a domino effect for several teams.
A league source told Michael Grange of SportsNet that the results of the Raptors' next six games could dictate this season's trade market. The source believes that teams such as the LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns are waiting for the Raptors to make a move before engaging in their own trades.
"Toronto are the first domino," the source said. "What they do will affect teams all across the league. Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Atlanta – not that it's about deals with any particular team, just that people are going to be waiting to see what the Raptors do before they make their moves. Toronto could set the market."
The Toronto Raptors were in a similar situation last season, and they won games after the All-Star break. The Raptors eventually qualified for the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers in six games.
If the Raptors fail to make any progress during their six-game homestand, Michael Grange opined that they could make trades before the February 9 deadline. Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. could become free agents in the summer, while Pascal Siakam is having an All-Star campaign.
VanVleet and Trent could leave for nothing, while Siakam's trade value could be at his highest. Meanwhile, Scottie Barnes is the reigning Rookie of the Year, but his progress has stagnated in his second season. OG Anunoby has made strides over the last two years and has also been linked to trade rumors.
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What will Masai Ujiri do with Toronto Raptors?
Masai Ujiri is one of the top executives in the NBA over the past decade. Ujiri built the Raptors roster that won the 2019 championship. He also put together a strong roster that could compete with anyone in the Eastern Conference.
However, the Raptors have struggled to start the season. What will Masai Ujiri do with his team? He likely has two options. The first option is hoping to have the same resurgence in the second half of the season as in 2022 and make the playoffs.
The second option would be to blow it up and start stocking up on assets for a rebuild. They have a bunch of players who would have a lot of suitors.
According to Mike Chiari of Bleacher Report, the Toronto Raptors may have a talented roster, but it might not be enough to topple teams such as the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets or Milwaukee Bucks. With Ujiri in charge, the Raptors are in very good hands.
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