Best Potential Center Trade Targets for Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors' lack of size in their frontcourt—especially at center—remains one of their more pressing needs as they approach the Feb. 19 NBA Trade Deadline.
At 26.2 minutes per game, Jonas Valanciunas is the only legitimate 5 on the roster seeing any considerable floor time. Greg Stiemsma has played in only 11 games, while 6'6" Chuck Hayes is too short to man the position on a regular basis.
Coach Dwane Casey is notorious for using smaller lineups, preferring to play Valanciunas only when there's another center standing across from him. The opposing team tends to hold all the cards, forcing Casey to change his lineups without dictating the tempo of the game himself.
That methodology hasn't hurt the Raptors yet. Valanciunas is averaging nearly a double-double of 12.0 points and 8.6 rebounds as the team holds down the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference at 36-17.
His defense remains a red flag, though. The third-year big has the worst defensive rating of any starter (106.5), with that number improving to 101.6 when he's on the bench.
He's a mediocre rim protector at best, allowing opponents to shoot 47.3 percent while averaging 1.19 blocks, which is 22nd among centers.
The pace of games slows down considerably during the postseason. We see more half-court offenses run, with teams electing to work the ball down low through set plays. Valanciunas' defense could prove to be a bigger headache than it already is come April.
The Raptors aren't the stout defensive unit they once were, ranking 18th overall after finishing 10th in 2013-14. The blame doesn't fall squarely on Valanciunas' shoulders, but the team would be better off if they had someone with stronger defensive intangibles backing him up.
The problem is that there aren't many defensive-minded frontcourt options available on the trade market. The team continues to be linked to offensive bigs like David West of the Indiana Pacers, per Zach Lowe of Grantland, but putting points on the board has never been an obstacle.
As Blake Murphy of Raptors Republic points out:
"If you were to make a list of the issues plaguing the Raptors, it would take a while before you reached a single one that focused on the offensive end of the floor. The Raptors rank fourth in the league in offensive efficiency and tops in the East. I could see the argument that a little more offensive balance would be preferred, and adding an additional post-up threat who can make plays from the elbow would help diversify a fairly predictable attack, but I’d hardly call the conference’s best offense an area where improvement is needed.
"
Should the Raptors be gung-ho on finding a proven defensive option to play behind Valanciunas, they'll need to be creative. They may even have to settle on acquiring someone with a big body who won't complicate matters in limited minutes.
The following three names could prove to be their best bets.
Miles Plumlee, Phoenix Suns
Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported on Jan. 18 that the Phoenix Suns are actively looking to move Miles Plumlee.
He's fallen out of favor in coach Jeff Hornacek's rotation, with Alex Len coming into his own and Brandon Wright acquired in a trade with the Boston Celtics. There are too many mouths to feed and not enough minutes to go around.
Plumlee is averaging 4.3 points and 5.1 rebounds on 54.9 percent shooting in 18.6 minutes. It's a noticeable drop-off from the 8.1 points and 7.8 rebounds he had last season, but it can all be attributed to his decline in playing time.
Bleacher Report's Adam Fromal believes Plumlee would be a solid addition to a second unit in need of some assistance on the glass:
"Right now, the Raptors' second unit ranks seventh in minutes played, per HoopsStats.com. But meanwhile, they're tied for 13th in rebounding, which indicates they could use a bit more muscle on the glass.
Someone like Plumlee, who has averaged 14.4, 11.5 and 9.8 rebounds per 36 minutes during his three professional seasons, fits the bill perfectly.
"
Stein's report noted that Phoenix is looking to acquire a first-round pick for Plumlee. With two projects sitting at the end of the bench in Bruno Caboclo and Lucas Nogueira, parting ways with a first-rounder to get a deal done won't sting nearly as much.
Plumlee is making $1.6 million this season and another $2.1 million in 2015-16, per HoopsHype.com. It's a reasonable contract that won't cost an arm and a leg, unless Phoenix throws more pieces Toronto's way.
He won't fix what ails the Raptors on the defensive end, though. He allows 52.9 percent shooting at the rim, which is five percent more than Valanciunas. His defensive rating of 104.6 isn't worth bragging about, either.
Nonetheless, Plumlee is a bruiser of a center who's large enough at 6'11" and 255 pounds to be suitable insurance for Valanciunas.
Jordan Hill is owed $9 million this season, which is quite the hefty sum for a role player. On the bright side, the Raptors could decline his $9 million team option in 2015-16 should a deal transpire.
He's missed the last five games with a strained hip flexor, although he's expected to return to the Los Angeles Lakers' lineup following the All-Star break.
While his heart may belong to the Lakers organization, Hill is well aware that he could still be on the move before Thursday, per Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
"It’s nothing I can control. Whatever happens, happens. I’ll keep on moving forward. Nobody knows what will happen. No one knows who will be here. Anybody can be gone. But it’s what you sign up for.
I want to be here. I want to be a in a steady place I call home.
"
Moving from the warm climate of Los Angeles to the cooler temperatures of Toronto would take some getting used to, but if Hill values winning, he'll find more of it north of the border.
He's putting up the best numbers of his six-year career in a larger role, averaging 12.3 points and 8.0 rebounds in 28 minutes. He's an energy guy—albeit in spurts—who will hustle on both ends and go the extra mile for his team.
“I give out all of my energy in the first moment and then I let down a lot more,” Hill said to Medina. “I’m learning how to manage all my time on the court. When I can, I go hard. It’s different, but I’m getting used to it.”
"As for #Lakers in trade market: Best asset is Jordan Hill's contract. Not something that would demand some kind of game-changer in return.
— Ethan Norof (@Mr_Norof) February 13, 2015"
The Raptors can't afford to give up too much, especially if they choose not to bring him back for another year.
It's one of the more high-risk, high-reward proposals general manager Masai Ujiri could pull off. It would be a long-shot acquisition due to what the Lakers would presumably ask for in return.
Extreme Caution: Enes Kanter, Utah Jazz
Enes Kanter wants out of Salt Lake City in a bad way, according to Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune.
The emergence of Rudy Gobert in his second season has cut into Kanter's role, especially since the 22-year-old is such a liability defensively.
A questionable personality and inability to defend? That doesn't sound overly desirable for the Raptors.
There's no denying that Kanter is gifted offensively, averaging 13.8 points and 7.8 rebounds on 49.1 percent shooting. It's his lack of urgency on defense that puts everyone on edge.
ESPN Insider Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com believes the Raptors could find value in Kanter if they were to bring him off the bench.
"Toronto might be the best fit. Kanter would be an upgrade over Tyler Hansbrough off the bench. That might be enough to get the Raptors to part with a pick."
The ball is in Utah's court, though. SLCDunk.com notes that with Kanter being a restricted free agent this summer, the Jazz shouldn't feel rushed to deal him:
"We all see that scenario playing out. The Jazz don't have to trade him if they don't want to. He's a restricted free agent. He's still a developing project. He most likely is going to be the third big in what is going to be a very potent big man three of Favors, Gobert, and himself. While Kanter might not be happy about the current status of not starting, once the guard play and additional prospects from the draft start coming in I think he'll appreciate winning a lot more than any starting position.
"
Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report thinks a package of Ross, Hansbrough and a potential pick could land Kanter in Toronto.
Perhaps some fresh Canadian air would trigger something so that he'd start being a defensive presence. Opponents are shooting 57.5 percent against him at the rim, which is laughable.
Conclusion
The NBA is a barren wasteland for defensive centers at the moment.
The Raptors aren't desperate. Acquiring one could bolster the rotation come the playoffs, but not having one won't make or break their chances.
Chemistry is a huge reason why the team has remained near the top of the Eastern Conference throughout the season. There's a truly special cohesiveness and bond among the players.
Ujiri isn't going to risk tampering with what's working for the sake of being active at the deadline. Making trades is a disciplined process that he's proven to be exceptional at.
Could the Raptors use a backup center? Absolutely. Are they doomed without one? Of course not.
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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