Toronto Raptors
If the Toronto Raptors wanted to upgrade the power forward to really make things interesting for the Cavaliers out East, they failed in their task. The Raptors didn’t make a single trade at the deadline, though their list of movable assets outside of Patrick Patterson were slim.
That’s the problem with being a good, well-balanced team; to bring in a difference-maker, you’ve got to give up a piece of that equation that could throw the whole team chemistry off.
Toronto continues to dangle Knicks' first (lesser of NY-DEN in '16) along with Patrick Patterson in effort to upgrade at PF, source says.
— Ken Berger (@KBergNBA) February 18, 2016
The Raptors didn’t believe Markieff Morris to be that difference-maker at the 4-spot, and Ryan Anderson didn’t happen either. Toronto is still a damn good team carried by its backcourt, but we’ve also seen that backcourt fizzle out in the playoffs twice before.
Toronto may not be heading for another disappointing first round exit this year, but it’s hard to see them knocking off the Cavs in a seven-game series without having made a move at the deadline to improve.
Grade: C
Next: Utah Jazz