The Toronto Raptors, amid their 20-24 season, have found themselves at the center of plenty of trade rumors throughout the season, with Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby as some of the most sought-after pieces in the market. However, Gary Trent Jr., has also drawn considerable interest, even with the 23-year old sharpshooter set to enter unrestricted free agency at season's end (if he declines his player option, that is).
And one such trade scenario involves the 11-34 Charlotte Hornets, the second-worst team in the league. The Raptors have reportedly shown interest in four-year Hornets forward Jalen McDaniels, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports.
McDaniels, coming off a career-best 26-point performance on Monday night against the Boston Celtics, has seen an increase in his role following the injuries to Gordon Hayward and Kelly Oubre Jr. In turn, McDaniels has responded with the best season of his young career thus far, averaging 11.2 points and 4.8 boards per game while shooting a respectable 35.8 percent from deep.
Standing at 6'9, it's not a surprise that the Raptors have shown interest in Jalen McDaniels, given their fixation on uber-athletic, switchable wings. Moreover, due to McDaniels' relatively late breakout, he most likely won't command as much as Gary Trent Jr. would in free agency.
Fischer added that teams are projecting a contract of around $10 million per year for the 24-year old Hornets forward, which is definitely less than what Trent's annual salary would be given his more proven track record.
Nonetheless, the Raptors will have competition for McDaniels' services. The Phoenix Suns have reportedly shown interest in McDaniels as well. Expect the dust to settle in the weeks to come with the trade deadline fast approaching.
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