Toronto Raptors: 2018-19 NBA midseason roundtable

Is this the final roster going into the playoffs, or will they acquire help via trade/buyout market? If so, who are they most likely to go for?

Bossetti: I think it’s a very small deal to add a secondary playmaker off the bounce or a shooter. I’m not sure if it’s a trade or a buyout, but I would expect something small.

Go Paolo: This is wishful thinking, I’m hoping Toronto can land a solid vet who gets bought out. My preference would be someone like Zach Randolph or JaMychal Green for their big body and offensive rebounding prowess. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind someone like Jamal Crawford or Jeremy Lin to add more veteran scoring for when the bench starts to struggle. Not sure if any of them are realistic options at this point, but a man can dream.

Turco: I ran a Twitter poll last week about this topic. More names have surfaced since then, but essentially it was split between making a deal for Bradley Beal or a small acquisition on the buyout market, like a reunion with Vince Carter.

Watching the Raptors against Atlanta Hawks game, maybe Jeremy Lin would like a shot with a contending team, and he could be a potential buyout candidate along side Mr. Half-Man Half-Amazing. Then again, I thought for sure last year he would’ve been bought out by the Sacramento Kings, and he wasn’t.

Bossetti: I think Vince likes to play as much as he wants a ring. With Toronto it’s hard to imagine him earning real minutes.

Turco: I don’t disagree. Not sure if he “fits” with the Raptors either. As of right now they have two open roster spots, so they need to do something similar to what the Philadelphia 76ers did last year in signing big body shooters, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova. Furthermore, I don’t see Malachi Richardson being on this roster for very much longer if they had to move someone for a low money deal.

Bossetti: Once his option was declined, he became a prime trade candidate.

Turco: Wayne Ellington anyone? Maybe a flier tryout deal with Chandler Parsons if he gets bought out?

Bossetti: Ellington is having a down year but is intriguing. Parsons is a pass. Can’t trust he can be a part of your rotation.