Raptors Trade Could Become Easy in Offseason

The Toronto Raptors are a team to watch this offseason as they look to make some moves to help their positioning in the Eastern Conference.

This could mean the Raptors will be a busy team on the trade market, especially when it comes to their expiring contracts. The Athletic insider Eric Koreen believes there are a few moves the Raptors could make in the summer after the season ends.

"The Raptors won’t force anything, but with RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick representing $36.7 million in expiring contracts starting in the new year, I’d be surprised if they weren’t aggressively looking for an upgrade," Koreen wrote.

"They could be looking at any position. That doesn’t mean they will execute a trade this offseason, but I don’t sense general manager Bobby Webster thinks the Raptors are capable of contention without one or more upgrades."

Raptors Won't Be Satisfied With Early Playoff Exit

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes dribbles the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Raptors find themselves in a tricky spot as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference standings with a month left to go in the regular season. The team has improved greatly from a year ago when it was among the lottery squads in the league, but the Raptors' goal isn't to just be in the playoff picture. The Raptors have aspiration of being a true title contender just like they were at the start of the decade.

In order to do that, the Raptors will need to make some changes, just like they did when they acquired Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans. This means the Raptors will have to get creative, and that could mean making a trade involving players like Barrett and Dick.

The Raptors don't necessarily want to trade these players, but they will be the likeliest pieces dealt in a possible trade because their contracts have just one year remaining after the season.

The Raptors hope this year's team will have enough to make it deep in the playoffs, but the front office shouldn't be afraid to make changes as they see fit.

In the meantime, the Raptors are back in action tomorrow when they take on No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET inside Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Fans can watch the game on Sportsnet or stream it on NBA League Pass.

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