Overall, the Toronto Raptors had a successful season this year. After starting the campaign at 4-14, they were able to turn it around and secure the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. Their 48-34 record and the great number of lengthy defenders made them a frightening postseason matchup.
Even so, they were not enough of a challenge for the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. While they are still a fairly young team, the Raptors will be faced with some hard questions this offseason. There are concerns if either Pascal Siakam or Fred VanVleet is capable of serving as a headliner of an offense. They also may have overdone it by prioritizing adding length and athletes as 11 of their 17 rostered players were between 6’7″ and 6’9″.
It is clear the franchise has bought into its identity on defense, but the lack of ball-handlers and shot creators was obvious against the Sixers. Expect the Raptors to look to overhaul their roster this offseason and prepare for a deeper playoff run moving forward.
2 trades Raptors must make in 2022 offseason
Raptors Get: Julius Randle, Alec Burks
Knicks Get: Pascal Siakam
Randle and Siakam have some overlapping criticism for their style of play. Each player is primarily a power forward who is ball-dominant. They both rely heavily on their midrange jumper and are capable of knocking down difficult and contested shots.
However, the New York Knicks seem to be losing confidence in Randle being able to be their lead guy. Siakam and Randle shoot similar shot attempts per game (17.3 and 17.8), but the Knicks forward is much more willing to take the ball in big moments. Adding this to the Raptors roster would be a welcome change as coach Nick Nurse has repeatedly stated they want Siakam to shoot more. Nurse especially harped on this in their matchup against the Sixers and stated he wanted Siakam to shoot about 25 attempts per game.
The addition of Burks would also be a welcome addition for the Raptors. The 6’6″ guard would be an impact player off the bench and provide adequate backup minutes for Fred VanVleet. The Raptors are in need of adding ball-handlers and Burks will be capable of filling this role.
It has been impressive to watch the development of Siakam in his career. The 2018-19 Most Improved Player has continued to add layers to his game and has exceeded all expectations coming into the league. But the emergence of rookie Scottie Barnes also makes Siakam more disposable. Barnes will be able to fill a lot of what Siakam currently brings to the table and has a higher overall potential. The franchise certainly should not be in a rush to get rid of Siakam, but there is a fair argument that he may best benefit the team by trading him away.
Raptors Get: Rudy Gobert, Jordan Clarkson, 1st round pick
Jazz Get: Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Khem Birch
The Raptors have fully embraced their defensive identity and made life difficult for opponents. They load the court with lengthy athletic defenders who wreak havoc. The Raptors were second in steals per game, second in opposing turnovers per game, and third in fastbreak points per game. They found great success in the postseason when VanVleet was off the court. Keeping all five players on the floor above 6’5″ creates nightmare matchups for opponents and makes a major difference in cutting out passing lanes.
If the Raptors look to continue building off this defensive foundation, Rudy Gobert would be an impactful addition. The Utah Jazz are rumored to be looking to trade either Gobert or Donovan Mitchell and the Raptors could capitalize on this. Adding the three-time Defensive Player of the Year to anchor the defense would be a scary sight for opposing squads.
If traded, Gobert would not hold nearly the defensive responsibility he currently does with the Jazz. Allowing him to protect the paint while the other four defenders switch on the perimeter could create an all-time great defensive team. The addition of Clarkson would also be a welcome spark off the bench. His microwave shooting could become crucial when the Raptors have their dry spells. There would still be some concerns about the lack of shot creation on the roster if the Raptors explore this type of deal. However, the phrase “defense wins championships” would be put to the test and teams certainly would not look forward to matching up with the Raptors.
Editor's Note: The terms of the Siakam-Randle trade have been changed since publish. The first-round pick has been taken away.
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