1 New Year’s resolution for every team in 2024: Atlantic Division

Raptors Resolution: Continue to build around Scottie Barnes.

Toronto needs… to continue to get younger and gain more assets to build around Scottie Barnes who is still just 22 years old. Masai Ujiri finally traded OG Anunoby who had been in trade rumors for nearly three years now. They received 23-year-old RJ Barrett and 24-year-old Immanuel Quickley in the deal and it is a great start. 

The next step would be to trade Pascal Siakam, who is 29 years old and in the last year of his contract. After that, New York could look to potentially get draft compensation for Gary Trent Jr., who has a valuable expiring contract and could still be a decent rotational piece for another team. Even after the big trade, the Raptors are not going anywhere this season and their absolute ceiling is the play-in.

Ujiri has already hinted that they have “no appetite” for a rebuild in Toronto, but they already lost Fred VanVleet for nothing after not dealing him last season and cannot make the same mistake this season.

Siakam specifically makes sense for a lot of different playoff contenders and Toronto could easily find themselves with 3-5 future first-round picks by shipping off the All-NBA caliber player. Especially if the Oklahoma City Thunder decide to make a bigger move for a playoff push and extend a phone call to Ujiri.

Much like in the non-NBA world, not everyone will fulfill their resolutions and get what they need in order to better their situation. Regardless, others will thrive and get exactly what they need or even go above and beyond their expectations. Only time will tell how 2024 will treat these NBA teams in the Atlantic Division.