NBA Trade Talk: Another Raptors Move on the Way?
Late last week, the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks made a trade that was centered around OG Anunoby for Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. It was the first significant trade of the 2023-24 campaign, but more will be coming.
This move has signaled that Toronto may be looking to re-tool its roster. While the obvious next domino to fall will likely be Pascal Siakam being shipped out, there’s other interesting players on the roster for a cheaper price tag.
Given Quickley is now set to be a cornerstone guard for the future, veteran Dennis Schroder could be more expendable, especially given he’s only under contract for one more season after this one. If the Raptors aren't looking to compete now, getting assets in return could make sense.
Schroder spent two seasons in Oklahoma City early in his career, where he had some of the most success he’s ever had at the NBA level. Would it make sense for the Thunder to bring him back?
On the surface, OKC doesn’t need any more guard help. With that in mind, if this team is truly going to win at this level the rest of the season and attempt a deep playoff push, proven postseason scorers will be necessary. As good as Cason Wallace, Vasilije Micic and Isaiah Joe are, they have very limited NBA experience, especially in the playoffs. Furthermore, injuries happen and depth is key over the course of an 82-game season that can bring adversity.
This season, Schroder is averaging 14.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 36.3% from beyond the arc. He’s also only making roughly $12.4 million this season, which is fair given his production.
The Thunder would really need to have the desire to improve depth and want to make a push in the playoffs for this type of move and it would have the be at the right price. But a reunion bringing Schroder back to Oklahoma City could make some sense.
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