The Toronto Raptors are becoming virtually unrecognizable from just a couple of seasons ago. In the past few weeks, the franchise has jettisoned two long-term members of the core, wings OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, to the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, respectively. Masai Ujiri is stripping down the parts of the franchise, one by one.
With varying returns in the two trades, it's safe to wonder what Toronto's future looks like. That's an even more difficult question to answer when it's not certain if the Raptors front office will keep tinkering in the coming weeks ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline.
As the Toronto Raptors continue to overhaul their roster, which players should serve as building blocks for the franchise going forward?
Toronto is relatively young. A majority of the team's roster is 25 years and younger, meaning there are definitely opportunities for players to hit their prime while hearing "We the North" chants in Toronto. Then again, some of those same players could be gone in a matter of weeks.
Much of Toronto's next championship-caliber core is going to be comprised of players not on the roster today. Whether they'll be acquired in trades or, more likely, draft picks, a lot of unfamiliar faces will be flanking the roster in the coming years.
But the Raptors aren't totally bereft of players to build around. There's at least one obvious candidate to be a cornerstone of the franchise, but he's not alone. Here are the three players the Raptors should build around.