Rumors have been swirling about several star players ahead of the upcoming NBA offseason, and one surprising Eastern Conference team is reportedly looking to make a significant addition.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst discussed what is expected to be hectic summer during the latest episode of his “The Hoop Collective” podcast, which was released on Sunday. The reporter mentioned the Toronto Raptors as a team that is “starting to make noise within the league about looking for a big fish.”
“I think because — and I don’t want to get away from this, but I’ve started it myself — if you’re an Eastern Conference team that’s in the middle of the pack, you’re looking at the teams in front of you going, ‘Some of them may not be able to come together, may be able to stay together,'” Windhorst said, as transcribed by RealGM. “Boston is hurt, and so there are some teams that sniff the ability to make a move, and I think Toronto is one of those teams.”
Windhorst noted that any team looking to make a significant trade will likely have an eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo, so the Raptors are one team that could inquire about the Milwaukee Bucks star. He said teams around the NBA have been given the impression that Toronto is “sitting there on the balls of its feet.”
The Raptors finished 30-52 this season and well outside the play-in tournament. They have rebuilt their roster in recent years, but they made a big move to acquire Brandon Ingram at the trade deadline in February. Ingram then signed a 3-year, $120 million extension with Toronto.
Raptors president Masai Ujiri has never shied away from making major moves on the trade market, and he is armed with several first-round picks. If the prediction Shams Charania recently made about the offseason comes to fruition, Toronto could very well be involved in some way.
