The Toronto Raptors are currently in limbo, the worst place to be in the NBA. The Raptors are 17-19 (only five games behind the third-seeded Bucks) and sit in the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference going into the All-Star break.
The roster suggests they are not title contenders but, they are not a lottery bond team either — the crossroads of the NBA.
There has been endless rumor-mongering about possible Kyle Lowry trades (especially to his hometown Philadelphia 76ers) however, the suggested returns have been unexceptional.
Are the likes of Tyreese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle (plus salary filler, like former Raptor Danny Green) intriguing enough to give up the greatest Raptor in history?
Until proven otherwise the Raptors are looking to make a deep playoff push, and with their recent surge, the Raptors look like buyers rather than sellers.
What do the Toronto Raptors have to improve on at the NBA trade deadline?
The key areas of improvement for the Raptors are relatively simple. The first is availability, but you cannot trade for that – Lowry has missed seven games and OG Anunoby has missed 12 games.
The other two key areas to address in trades are; half-court offense and interior defense. The Raptors’ loss of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka has been written, spoken, and tweeted about consistently – and it’s with good reason.
While the Raptors’ half-court offense has been an issue since Kawhi Leonard departed in the 2019 offseason.
What trades can be made to help the Toronto Raptors get back into the top of the Eastern Conference before the March 25th NBA Trade Deadline?