Toronto Raptors' 2015 Trade Deadline Shopping List
Despite losing five of their last six games, the Toronto Raptors shouldn't feel a sense of urgency to make any major moves before the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 19.
Guard DeMar DeRozan has been out of action with a torn tendon in his groin that he suffered on Nov. 28. The team went 13-3 to begin the season with him in the lineup, but has gone 12-9 since the injury.
Coach Dwane Casey recognizes how important it is for DeRozan to be healthy and competing, per Eric Koreen of the National Post.
“He brings a calmness for us. He gives us post play and he understands our defensive schemes. He gives us a talent out there on the floor. Any time you take an all-star out of your lineup — yes, we have a 15-man roster to make sure someone steps up and fills that spot — but you can’t replace that type of talent.”
He'll likely make his return on Jan. 14 against the Philadelphia 76ers or Jan. 16 against the Atlanta Hawks, per TSN.ca. Until then, there's no way of knowing how worse for wear the team is until one of its key pieces is back in the fold.
The Raptors continue to be one of the top squads in the Eastern Conference during his absence at 25-12. That's five wins better than any record the franchise has ever had through 37 games, per Basketball-Reference.com.
The goal this season should be to walk away with at least one postseason series victory. With a 9.5 game lead in the Atlantic Division and no other team looking like much of a threat, there's no reason to think they won't earn home-court advantage for the second year in a row.
Most of their improvement needs to come internally and not through trades. A defense that ranked 10th overall last year has taken a huge hit, dropping to 22nd with a defensive rating of 105.0. That number plummets even further to 108.1 and 28th sans DeRozan.
The players are certainly capable of more on that side of the ball. It's just a matter of executing Casey's defensive schemes more efficiently and making better decisions. They've proven they can thrive in that department before, and they can do it again.
The phones will always be ringing and general manager Masai Ujiri will always be listening intently. There are a couple of areas that could use some fine-tuning, but the odds of him making any bold deals are slim-to-none.
1) Backup Center
Greg Stiemsma has played in eight games for a grand total of 43 minutes. Chuck Hayes is the same height as backup point guard Greivis Vasquez at 6'6". His value is diminished because of his stature.
With no quality center to play behind starter Jonas Valanciunas, Casey has resorted to using power forwards Amir Johnson and Tyler Hansbrough at the 5 spot.
Valanciunas' role in the offense continues to be a pressing issue. The third-year big scored a career-high 31 points on a stellar 14-of-15 shooting during a 114-111 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 12. His numbers could have been far greater had he not become less of a factor as the game progressed.
The team went back to playing a guard-heavy style that rendered him obsolete. It may have been the difference between a win and a loss on that night.
Having a confident 7-footer on the court who can work his magic around the rim and attack the glass needs to be exploited.
Johnson believes Valanciunas' growing reputation is going to make life a lot easier for some of his teammates, per Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
“It’s big, because teams are starting to double-team him, they recognize that he’s a double-double monster, so, when he looks up and guys are open for three, that’s going to be big for us."
The Raptors would be in a world of hurt if he were to be out of action for a long period of time. They have no one else who can replace what he brings to the table in terms of post scoring and rebounding (8.1).
Zaza Pachulia would be a fantastic get by Ujiri, but it's doubtful the Milwaukee Bucks are in any rush to deal him with Larry Sanders' status up in the air. The 12-year veteran is averaging 7.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in 23 minutes.
While he's not much for swatting away shots with a career average of 0.4 blocks, Pachulia is still passable enough on defense and can make stops in other ways.
Jeff Withey of the New Orleans Pelicans and Henry Sims of the Philadelphia 76ers wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Withey can't find playing time, and Sims' role will surely decrease when Joel Embiid returns from his foot injury.
There’s always the possibility that Casey remains set in his ways and continues to avoid going big on a more regular basis. Any peace of mind that comes with there being size in the second unit capable of being a steady hand is still worth it.
Potential Targets
- Zaza Pachulia, Milwaukee Bucks
- Jeff Withey, New Orleans Pelicans
- Henry Sims, Philadelphia 76ers
Trade Suggestions
- Zaza Pachulia for Tyler Hansbrough, Greg Stiemsma and a future second round pick
- Jeff Withey for a future second round pick
- Henry Sims for a future second round pick
2) Upgrade at Power Forward
The Raptors could continue trotting out Johnson as their starting power forward for the remainder of the season and be perfectly content with doing so.
He's one of their best interior defenders, a stud at setting picks and widely considered to be the "heart and soul" of the team.
It would be difficult on an emotional level to move him because of that. He's so beloved by his teammates and fans that trading him could leave a nasty ripple effect.
The best-case scenario would be for Johnson to come off the bench. His body is beginning to show wear and tear, having been through its share of wars over the years.
There are days where he masks it perfectly, making fans and media none the wiser. Then there are days where it’s clear that getting up and down the floor is a major hassle.
With his numbers falling off in a contract year, perhaps it would be wise to gage his market value and see what kind of assets he can garner. A $7 million expiring contract could pique some interest at the very least.
On the off chance that he's moved, his replacement would need to offer similar defensive intangibles to help compensate for his departure. The Raptors can't pair Patrick Patterson with Valanciunas in the frontcourt and expect to improve defensively.
Patterson has only played 41 minutes with the regular starters. That unit allows 141.9 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com. That's not much of a ringing endorsement.
The problem is that there aren't many viable options being made available. The team is third in scoring with 107.8 points, so it's not like they have a frantic need for more offense.
David West of the Indiana Pacers could be their guy if that were the case. He would instantly become the oldest player on the Raptors at 34. His price tag of $12 million for each of the next two years will also turn quite a few stomachs.
Even so, West can still help spread the floor and provide a level of experience that wouldn't otherwise be available. He has a lot left in the tank.
Taj Gibson of the Chicago Bulls is the ultimate pipe dream. It would take one heck of a package for their upper management to even entertain the thought.
They're blessed with four frontcourt behemoths in Gibson, Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic. If the basketball gods are shining down on the city of Toronto, perhaps Gibson will somehow become expendable to them. His combination of tenacious defense and limitless energy is just what the doctor ordered.
With the Boston Celtics seemingly ready to part ways with nearly everyone on their roster, perhaps taking a stab at Brandon Bass wouldn't be such a bad idea. It doesn't look like Danny Ainge plans on making him a part of any long-term blueprint.
Ultimately, keeping Johnson is the way to go. If things take a turn for the worse by the summer, then Ujiri will make his decision from there. His defense and passion for the game more than make up for any scoring numbers he may or may not provide.
Potential Targets
- Taj Gibson, Chicago Bulls
- David West, Indiana Pacers
- Brandon Bass, Boston Celtics
Trade Suggestions
- Taj Gibson and Mike Dunleavy for Terrence Ross, Chuck Hayes, Amir Johnson and a first-round pick
- David West for Amir Johnson and Landry Fields
- Brandon Bass for Chuck Hayes and a second-round pick
Christopher Walder is considered by many to be the "songbird of his generation" and the greatest center to have never played professional, collegiate, high school, house league or pickup basketball. His work has been published on Bleacher Report, SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, FanSided and several other online outlets. You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports.
All statistics, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of NBA.com/stats and Basketball-Reference.com
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