Raptors Mailbag: Brown's Trade Value, Rajaković's Future, & Season Outlook

It's the calm before the storm.

The Toronto Raptors are two weeks away from preseason action tipping off, but for now, there's not much going on around the league. Virtually everyone has been signed for next season and everyone is getting set for the start of next year.

In the meantime, we'll take a few more offseason mailbags. As always, if you have questions for a mailbag article direct message me or respond to one of my stories on Instagram @aaronbenrose.

If you could get one All Star/superstar on the RaptorsD right now, who would you want? - @harrisonturnerrivers

If this is a question for just this year, I think the answer is probably Nikola Jokic. He's simply the best player in the NBA right now and plopping him on the Raptors would do wonders for this team. However, if you wanted to make an argument that Toronto's biggest need is shooting and offensive creation, I'd be open to Luka Doncic being the answer here. Either way, though can't go wrong.

Long term, though, I'd take Victor Wembanyama. Pair him with Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley and suddenly this Raptors group looks pretty good moving forward.

Will the Raptors make anymore moves before the start of the season? - dre85rose

I doubt it. I suspect this will be the team they ride into the season with. I thought they'd be interested in Christian Koloko, but it seems like there wasn't much going on there.

Should the Raps tank this year for a pick or try making the first round of the playoffs for player development? - @levibz_

I think both of these options would be pretty good for the organization. If the Raptors make the playoffs this year it's a pretty good sign for the future. Conversely, if they manage to land one of those top picks in a loaded 2025 draft class, Toronto should be pretty happy too.

The worst-case scenario is being caught in between. If the Raptors end up late in the lottery and lose in the first play-in game or finish just outside of the play-in picture it would really sting.

With Darko being known for development, if the young players don't make a jump do you think he's done? - @braedon.c10

I think a lot would have to go very wrong for the Raptors to part ways with head coach Darko Rajaković just two years into his tenure. This front office doesn't strike me as a group that makes rash decisions like that and firing Rajaković this season would be a quick admission of a pretty bad mistake. That said, if Rajaković has a really bad year, I could see him starting the following season on a warm seat. I don't know if he gets three or four years with people questioning his competency.

I do expect Rajaković to be a much better coach this year, though. You learn so much in your first year and I think we can expect development from him this season.

Will Bruce Brown be traded this season? - @tgoncalo7

Bruce Brown's recently announced knee surgery probably helps explain why he wasn't traded this offseason. At this point, Brown is sort of like a human trade exception. He doesn't hold much value for Toronto and it appears the league doesn't value him as much as a first-round pick. I expect him to be moved at some point this year in a deal that takes back some multi-year money from another team. Don't expect a big return.