Raptors Next Trade Target Could Be Canadian Star

The Toronto Raptors will be looking for ways to get better in the offseason and that should mean the team will be active on the trade market.

The Raptors should be looking for players that will move the needle and help the team move up the standings. One of those players that could do that is Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

"Including Nickeil Alexander-Walker has nothing to do with a Canadian homecoming. Well, almost nothing. His contract (three years, $45.5 million remaining) is a friggin' steal relative to the offensive strides he's made. The shooting could regress, and he'd still help Toronto's offense as a spacer and someone who can get into the teeth of the defense," Bleacher Report contributor Dan Favale wrote.

Raptors Should Look at Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker passes the ball against the Dallas Mavericks. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Alexander-Walker was the Hawks' big-time signing during the offseason last summer, but Atlanta is in an interesting position. The Hawks are projected to have one of the top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft this offseason and the team could look at taking a top talent that may take Alexander-Walker's spot in the rotation.

That could lead the Hawks to trading Alexander-Walker and the Raptors should figure out a way to finagle him in there. The Raptors may need to put in a first-round pick or two to acquire him, but it could be worth it if he were to play how he has this past season.

Alexander-Walker is averaging a career-high 20 points per game in his first season with the Hawks and he is shooting 38 per cent from beyond the arc. He would be the exact kind of offensive juice the Raptors would need in the backcourt next to Immanuel Quickley and it would help make up for Scottie Barnes' offensive limitations.

The chances of Alexander-Walker getting traded are very slim given how much the Hawks have invested in him, but the Raptors should be searching for that kind of player in order to take the team to the next level.

In the meantime, the Raptors are back in action tonight when they take on Devin Booker, Jalen Green and the Phoenix Suns. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET inside the Scotiabank Arena. Fans can watch the game on TSN Sports or stream it on NBA League Pass.

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