The Toronto Raptors' 2022-23 season has not gone according to plan. After their first-round appearance last season, many expected this team to continue their upward trajectory. Their core of Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, and Fred VanVleet seemed to be solid at worst, and their roster experiment was an early success.
27 games into the 2022-23 season, though, and the Raptors are not looking too hot this season. Back-to-back losses to the Orlando Magic sent this team below the .500 mark. Yes, THAT Orlando Magic team. That's how bad Toronto has played this season. They are far from the feisty team that shocked the NBA world last season.
Because of their struggles, many people (including NBA executives) have wondered about a potential Raptors trade. Masai Ujiri does love himself a good deal, after all. He's show before that he's willing to make drastic changes to the roster just to keep them out of the dreaded plane of mediocrity. Which players should the Raptors trade in order to improve?
Fred VanVleet
This one hurts.
Fred VanVleet was a playoff hero for the Raptors back in their 2019 Finals run. Hell, he even had his moments for Toronto in their other playoff appearances. The undrafted guard made a name for himself by betting on himself, and he proved his worth to everyone.
This season, though, Fred VanVleet has struggled to find any sort of consistent offense for the Raptors. He's shooting a ghastly 36.0% from the field, and 32.0% from outside the arc. His inability to find the bottom of the net has hurt Toronto way too much this season.
Many Raptors fans have been defending Fred VanVleet's performance this season, including myself. After all, we've seen what the point guard is capable of doing when he's on his A-game. However, this bad stretch by from VanVleet isn't a one-off case: he also struggled similarly toward the end of last season. His defense has also been suspect at times, particularly against quicker point guards.
It's time for the Raptors to swallow this bitter pill and trade Fred VanVleet.
Gary Trent Jr.
Like Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. has experienced a slump of sorts in the 2022-23 season for the Raptors. Unlike VanVleet, though, Trent Jr doesn't have the same security on the roster as the tenured point guard.
There was a time last season where everyone thought that Trent Jr would be an integral piece for the Raptors. The ex-Blazers guard impressed fans with his active hands and hot shot-making from outside. He instantly became a fan favorite because of that.
This season, though, Gary Trent Jr's weaknesses has been exposed. When his shot's not falling, the guard doesn't exactly bring anything else to the table. There have been countless times when the Raptors box-score shows Trent earning a goose egg on major counting stats not named “points.”
Perhaps there's a team out there that would be interested in trading for the volatile shooter. At the very least, the Raptors should explore potential trades involving Gary Trent Jr.
Scottie Barnes
Coming into the 2022-23 season, expectations were high for Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes. The reigning Rookie of the Year impressed everyone with his poise and playmaking abilities. Questions about his fit with Pascal Siakam were thrown out the window. There was hope that Barnes would be the next star for Toronto.
Unfortunately, Scottie Barnes hit the dreaded “sophomore slump” in his second season. The Raptors forward isn't playing like his RotY self in 2022, seeing dips in efficiency and his overall production. Simply put, Barnes has not hit the expectations many fans placed on him.
There's an argument to be made that the Raptors should not rush and trade Scottie Barnes because of a down year. Many young players experience growing pains like this, after all. However, if Masai Ujiri wants this team to contend for a title, they'll need proven talent to join them via trade. And unfortunately, Scottie Barnes is probably the second-most intriguing trade asset of Toronto.
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