NBA Exec Rips Raptors' Plan After Ingram Trade: 'Trying to Flip It Quick is Dangerous'

The Toronto Raptors strategy for contention is not viewed kindly by the rest of the league.

Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN reported that the Raptors strategy of retooling with deadline trades in an effort to be competitive in 2025-26 is viewed as a "dangerous" strategy.

"I don't like what Toronto is doing," another executive told Bontemps. "Trying to flip it quick is dangerous."

Toronto dealt Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby in 2023-24 and had allowed Fred VanVleet to depart in free agency ahead of that season. That appeared to signal a rebuilding attitude, but extending guard Immanuel Quickley and acquiring forward Brandon Ingram at this year's deadline makes it look like the Raptors are more interested in a re-tooling stage as opposed to a rebuild.

Scottie Barnes is another solid piece to build around but the Raptors will need to hope an impact player awaits in the 2025 NBA Draft. Toronto is currently 23-43 and set to miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

The state of the Eastern Conference could make contending for a play-in spot at the least possible in the very near future but not bottoming out could limit the team's ability to rise to the top of the conference.

While it may be risky, hedging their bet on this core appears to be the direction Toronto will pursue.