Raptors Reportedly Eye 'Big Fish' in Trade amid Giannis Rumors Ahead of Free Agency

The Toronto Raptors are targeting a major addition on the trade market during the 2025 offseason as free agency approaches, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

“The Raptors are a team that is starting to make noise within the league about looking for a big fish,” Windhorst reported Sunday on the The Hoop Collective podcast (22:00 mark).

“There are some teams that sniff the ability to make a move and I think Toronto is one of those teams," he added.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo may be the top player available to be traded, with ESPN's Shams Charania reporting that Antetokounmpo was "open-minded" about exploring a change of scenery for the "first time in his career" on May 12.

Windhorst noted that any team that wants to make a move over the summer is "naturally" going to have Antetokounmpo "on the board" (22:40 mark).

Toronto has missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons and is coming off a 30-52 finish during its 2024-25 campaign.

The Raptors boast an intriguing collection of young talent around star forward Scottie Barnes that includes Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick. They ended the regular season with the fifth-worst offensive rating in the league, though (via NBA.com).

Toronto acquired Barrett and Quickley by trading OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks in Dec. 2023 and sent Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers in Jan. 2024.

Anunoby and Siakam faced off in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, with Siakam earning ECF MVP honors.

The Raptors were already active prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, acquiring former All-Star forward Brandon Ingram in a swap with the New Orleans Pelicans before handing him a three-year extension worth $120 million.

Team president Masai Ujiri previously confirmed that the Raptors will explore a variety of options to continue upgrading their roster.

"You have to figure out what the opportunity is, and sometimes I can guarantee you there are many unique opportunities that are going to come up in July, and we have to look at all of them,” Ujiri said in April, via SI.com's Aaron Rose.

The Raptors have the ammunition to make a big splash on the trade market, as they own all of their future first-round picks including the No. 9 overall choice in the 2025 NBA draft.

While Toronto looks to return to the Eastern Conference postseason picture, a blockbuster move could be on the horizon.