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5 Game-Changing Trades The Toronto Raptors Should Make

By Gerald Bourguet

Feb 4, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Orlando Magic forward Serge Ibaka (7) boxes out Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 113-86. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Orlando Magic forward Serge Ibaka (7) boxes out Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 113-86. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Toronto Raptors
Feb 4, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Orlando Magic forward Serge Ibaka (7) boxes out Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 113-86. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

If the Toronto Raptors want to seriously contend for the Eastern Conference belt, here are five game-changing trades they need to make.

The Toronto Raptors have been a surprising success story in the Eastern Conference for the last three and a half years, but in 2016-17, it’s becoming more and more obvious that this team may have already reached its ceiling.

Coming off a franchise-best 56-win season in 2015-16, the Raptors reached their first ever conference finals, pushing the eventual NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers to six games in the process.

But when Toronto failed to address its glaring need at power forward over the summer, their only hope for surpassing LeBron James and company became internal growth.

DeMar DeRozan‘s hot start to the season made it seem like a legitimate possibility, but the former No. 2 team in the East has plummeted back down to earth in recent weeks. With the 2017 NBA Trade Deadline approaching, the need for a game-changing move is all too evident.

Related Story: 25 Best Players to Play for the Toronto Raptors

DeRozan and Kyle Lowry are still playing at an All-Star level, but the defense needs work, there’s still a need for an upgrade at power forward and the Raptors have lost nine of their last 13 games to fall to fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.

The question is, which players should be on Toronto’s radar as trade targets? If the Raptors want to overtake the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards, and if they want to seriously challenge LeBron heading into Lowry’s upcoming free agency, here are five potential game-changers they should trade for — along with what those deals might look like and why they could fall through.

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