Raptors could solve major issue with trade

The NBA trade deadline is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic reacts against the Miami Heat. | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

The Toronto Raptors could look to add some shooting ahead of the trade deadline next month.

There should be a few options at their disposal around the league, including New Orleans Pelicans' wing Saddiq Bey. Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale listed Bey as a potential trade option for the Raptors.

"Saddiq Bey gets the middle-spot nod because the Raptors also need shooting and perimeter players who can touch the paint and aren't too small. While he doesn't emphatically check those boxes, he melds the two together better than a Naji Marshall or Keon Ellis," Favale wrote.

New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Saddiq Bey dribbles against New York Knicks forward Mohamed Diawara. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Bey trade to Raptors?

After not playing last season recovering from a torn ACL, Bey has bounced back in a big way for the Pelicans. The former Villanova star is averaging 15.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in 34 appearances for the Pelicans this season.

The Pelicans are rebuilding, so they are likely to want to invest more in their younger players, which Bey is not, despite only being 26 years old. Bey could become the team's sixth man, and he would be an upgrade over someone like Ochai Agbaji.

Bey is only making $6.1 million this season and $6.4 million next season, making his contract extremely affordable for many teams in the NBA. The Raptors would benefit from bringing Bey on board as he could be the solid bench scorer the team has been seeking.

The Raptors could get that bench scoring from a few different sources, including Gradey Dick and Ja'Kobe Walter, but neither guard has appeared to take that next step towards becoming a consistent nightly performer, like Bey currently is.

The Pelicans would want at least one of the young guards in a trade, so the Raptors would have to be willing to part ways with at least one of them in order to make this work. It would be a risk to trade a young player at this point, but if the Raptors are serious about contending this season, they would make a bold move and trade one of those guys for someone in their prime or a veteran.

In the meantime, the Raptors are returning to the court tonight to take on the Atlanta Hawks. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET inside Scotiabank Arena. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.