Ranking Raptors' Top Trade Targets After 2026 NBA Playoff Loss
The Toronto Raptors have successfully navigated through the first few legs of their Scottie Barnes-centric rebuild.
So, what's next?
Because they are, financially at least, pretty firmly committed to a core that just helped snap a three-year playoff drought, but lacks a clear path toward future improvement. Progression isn't impossible, obviously, but big-picture breakthroughs are tricky to envision with so much of this roster either in or on the cusp of their prime years.
They almost certainly need some external assistance if they ever hope to make the leap from pretty good to great. And with both sizable salaries to make the math work on big-money moves and full possession of all of their own first-round picks, their trade budget might stretch as far as their imagination can reach.
3. Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
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If the Raptors shy away from (or simply can't complete) franchise-altering transactions, a marginal move for a support player like Missi might make a lot of sense.
With Jakob Poeltl adding availability concerns to his on-court limitations, Toronto's center rotation might need reinforcing. That will ring especially true should free agency lure away one (or both) of Sandro Mamukelashvili or Jonathan Mogbo.
Missi, an All-Rookie second-team selection in 2024-25, could add to this interior's depth and improve its athleticism. The bouncy rim-runner pairs powerful close-range finishing with rim protection, and he should only get better in both roles as he gets more experience under his belt.
He also feels weirdly gettable despite having a generally productive start to his NBA career. The Pelicans added three centers after Missi's emergence—rookie Derik Queen, Kevon Looney and DeAndre Jordan—which helps explain why he saw a signifcant cut into his floor time as a sophomore (from 26.8 minutes a night to only 19.7).
2. Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
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Murphy won't be easy to pry out of New Orleans. That's been obvious for a while now. Ahead of this season's trade deadline, NBA insider Marc Stein reported the Pelicans were trying to get a "Desmond-Bane like" trade package in return for Murphy. Bane, for those with fuzzy memories, wound up costing the Orlando Magic four first-round picks and a first-round pick swap last offseason.
Murphy isn't worth that much, but if New Orleans would accept a more reasonable offer, then Toronto could be in business.
The 6'8" swingman would address Toronto's glaring need for volume shooting and perimeter scoring without forcing this team go away from its clear preference for size and length along the wings. Murphy, a former Dunk Contest participant, would also bring spring-loaded athleticism and a powerful scoring punch—he just averaged better than 21 points for the second consecutive season.
He isn't a tier-one star—or, to this point of his career, an All-Star at all—but he is a potential need-filler who fits right into this team's timeline. He might transform the type of team Toronto is, but he could enchance the strengths it already has and address a few of its biggest weaknesses.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
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Like a lot of teams around the Association, the Raptors should budget a big chunk of their offseason schedule to weighing the pros and cons of an Antetokounmpo acquisition. Because even if he isn't officially on the trade market, his relationship with the Bucks may be broken beyond repair.
Should the Raptors decide they need a superstar to enter title contention—a belief backed up by the NBA's history books—then they can't rule out this possibility. Even if Antetokounmpo wouldn't be the cleanest on-court fit and would cost this club dearly.
His shooting range is limited, his absences are adding up and his age (31) could be a worry soon given the way his greatness is so closely tied to physically overpowering opponents. And yet, he's still on the short list of the planet's best two-way players, and beyond some injury issues, there really aren't any signs of age-related decline. He's freakin' awesome, to put it as simply as possible.
If Milwaukee would hear out offers involving player combinations that don't include Barnes, Toronto should be all over it. If the Bucks demand Barnes in return, the Raptors at least have to talk things out. They haven't had a superstar since Kawhi Leonard spent a season north of the border, and since that campaign coincided with the franchise's only championship, they should be eager to at least explore the possibility of having one again.
