Should the Toronto Raptors be NBA trade deadline buyers or sellers?

Should the Toronto Raptors sell at the NBA trade deadline?

If the Raptors don’t believe they can make a deal that moves the championship contention needle without mortgaging the future far too much, they may be left having to sell. While Siakam would be a potential win-now chip in a trade, Kyle Lowry really does seem like a “sell” in a trade.

It’s not a decision that could be made lightly, because he’s been the heart and soul of this Raptors team for years upon years now. Ujiri isn’t afraid to break up with a fan favorite, though, as we saw when he sent DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard.

This wouldn’t be the same kind of situation. That move gave them a legitimate one-year championship window, while trading Lowry would likely signal a willingness for a quick-turnaround rebuild. With Siakam and VanVleet on board with big contracts, a true rebuild isn’t likely, but the package Lowry might yield would probably be replete with draft capital rather than a star.

Of course, this is largely based on the Sixers’ rumored interest, which could be little more than a smokescreen. But a team trading for Lowry will be in win-now mode, which does inform us as to what to expect in a return package.

All this said, Masai Ujiri doesn’t punt. He’s more likely to fight to maintain competitiveness in the hopes that the right opportunity can present itself, much like keeping Lowry and DeRozan together longer than some thought prudent, only to flip DeRozan into the final piece of a championship team.

Assuming health stays firm for the Raptors, expect them to be more likely to buy than sell at the NBA trade deadline.