The Toronto Raptors have a number of veteran players on expiring contracts, and there is a real possibility that one or more of them could be dealt before the February trade deadline.
Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reported that teams around the league believe the Raptors will take inquiries on big men Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, as well as point guard Kyle Lowry.
Some teams believe the Raptors would listen to calls on players like Gasol and Serge Ibaka, both of whom are in the final years of their contracts and, seemingly not in their long-term plans. There’s also speculation that Kyle Lowry could be had at the right price — the kind of seismic moves teams headed for the postseason wouldn’t normally make.
The Raptors are not in any hurry to make a trade just for the sake of change. Toronto enters Wednesday night's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers at 29-14, good enough for third in the Eastern Conference.
Moreover, their veteran trio have played major roles in the team's success. Lowry is averaging 20.1 points, 7.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds on 37.2 minutes per game, while Ibaka is putting up 14.8 points and 8.4 rebounds.
On the other hand, Gasol is shooting 38.5 percent from beyond the arc while also averaging 3.5 assists and anchoring Toronto's defensive backcourt.
There is reason to believe the Raptors could once again vie for a trip to the NBA Finals, and any move involving Lowry, Ibaka or Gasol would most likely make them less competitive. That said, they might look to accrue future value “at the right price,” as Woike suggests.
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