The Toronto Raptors could end up being major sellers at the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline.
Toronto is currently in the midst of a rebuild and they have the third worst record in the league at 7-24. They have some veteran pieces they could offload in hopes of getting draft capital.
One team that has already been linked to the Raptors are the Los Angeles Lakers. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania Los Angeles will be monitoring the sellers around the NBA, which includes the Raptors:
“They’re [Lakers] monitoring the sellers around the NBA: Portland, Washington, Toronto, maybe Chicago…they are open to moving, they got three first-round picks they can trade. They’re open to moving that in a potential trade but they want a player or players that they feel can get into this iteration of this team now LeBron James, Anthony Davis, but can also play for three, four, five more years under JJ Redick as the coach.”
If the Lakers are looking for players who can contribute now and remain as future pieces of the team then there are only two names on Toronto that would make sense as potential targets for Los Angeles. Jakob Poeltl and Bruce Brown. The Lakers could use a center so perhaps they can swing a deal for 29-year-old Poeltl who has been playing some of the best basketball of his career. However, according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange, Toronto is unlikely to move Poeltl ahead of the deadline. Therefore, Brown makes a lot more sense as a possible target for the Lakers. He’s someone who the Raptors have tried moving and he would serve as a valuable rotation piece. He’s also only 28-years-old so he is just entering his prime.
The framework of a deal for Brown would be interesting because the Lakers would have to either give up multiple players with smaller contracts like Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt and Cam Reddish to match Brown’s salary. Or a larger contract like D’Angelo Russell mixed with a smaller contract like Jalen Hood-Schifino. Of course any deal would come down to the picks involved. It’s hard to imagine the Raptors being willing to take on what the Lakers could offer without a first-round pick being included.
If the Raptors want to get aggressive as sellers at the deadline, the Lakers could answer the call.
Chris Boucher on trade market
Another player who the Los Angeles Lakers could target is Chris Boucher, who is believed to be moved by the Raptors before the deadline.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Boucher is on the trade block.
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