The Toronto Raptors are aiming to build a roster that can win now, and with the NBA’s investigation on Kawhi Leonard potentially stretching into the season, another move before opening night feels very much in play.
If Toronto does make a push, the clearest areas to attack are the backcourt and the front line. A defensive-minded guard and a bigger body in the middle would both address real needs for a team trying to sharpen its roster before the year begins.
One name that keeps coming up is Jrue Holiday. The Raptors have been tied to him in rumors for the past year, and it is easy to see why.
Holiday would not need to be the engine of the offense. Instead, he would bring championship-level defense and playmaking alongside Scottie Barnes, while also easing some of the defensive burden on Immanuel Quickley in the backcourt.
Toronto would also be getting something it may lose if the Leonard trade does not happen: championship experience. Holiday has already won an NBA title in two different cities, and that kind of know-how would matter for a younger Raptors group. Portland, with a surplus of guards, could be open to moving him if the price is right, though matching salaries would be the major hurdle in any deal.
The other obvious target is Daniel Gafford, who would help solve Toronto’s lack of interior size behind Jakob Poeltl. At 6-10, Gafford brings rim protection, athleticism, and a real shot-blocking presence. He would fit neatly in Darko Rajakovic’s system because he can strengthen the defense without needing the ball.
Just as important, Gafford would give the Raptors insurance behind Poeltl as they prepare for bigger Eastern Conference frontcourts. Without an answer for Joel Embiid or Karl-Anthony Towns, Toronto will have a hard time making a serious run in the East.
Dallas has also been mentioned in trade talks involving multiple veteran players as it looks to retool.
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Raptors Offseason Suddenly Hinges On One Unsettled Kawhi Leonard Situation
The Raptors have already started to shape their frontcourt this summer, bringing in Kyle Anderson on a one-year deal and adding Allen Graves in the draft. Those moves give Toronto some immediate help and a bit of flexibility, but they also sit against a much bigger backdrop as the team tries to map out the rest of its offseason.
Kawhi Leonards pending trade remains unresolved, and the delay has left the Raptors in a holding pattern as they sort through roster decisions. What makes the situation so unusual is how long the uncertainty could linger, with the franchise forced to plan without knowing when the picture around Leonard will finally clear up. [Read more 🡒]