The Raptors are looking at power forwards in advance of the trade deadline, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, who relayed that Toronto has checked on the availability of Thaddeus Young, Kenneth Faried and Markieff Morris. The Raptors’ current salary structure would make it tough for the team to deal anyone from its existing roster, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca pointed out, but the team has an extra first-round pick for each of the next two drafts, and GM Masai Ujiri has signaled that he wants to trade at least one of those picks at some point. Despite its apparent willingness to upgrade at the four spot, Toronto doesn’t have the cap room or trade exception to absorb either Young, Faried or Morris without relinquishing salary in return.
Toronto has started veteran Luis Scola at power forward in each of its first 51 contests, whose averages of 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds aren’t anything to get excited about. Any of the three players mentioned above would provide a clear upgrade at the four spot for the Raptors, though acquiring any of them would likely leave a hole elsewhere on the roster thanks to the team’s need to send out salary in any transaction. But if Toronto is set on making a splash at this year’s trade deadline, nabbing either Faried, Morris or Young would certainly qualify as an impact move.
This brings me to the topic for today: If the Raptors make a move to acquire a power forward, who would be the best fit — Kenneth Faried, Markieff Morris or Thaddeus Young?
Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the matter, including who and what it might take to land one of the three men mentioned above. We look forward to what you have to say.
The manimal!!!
I’d have to agree. I like Faried out of all of them. Morris is starting to sound like a headcase, and his little shoving match with his teammate in tonight’s game makes me think he’ll never be able to put it together in the NBA.
Faried hustles and plays hard… Although I think adding someone like Ryan Anderson would be much better for the team, as it spaces the offence a lot better, plus he is also a FA at the end of the season.
If I were the Bulls I would trade pau for Terrance Ross and try to get a pick from the raptors
Ross is a wing player to fit the Bulls offense and he will have 2years left on his deal after this year is over with
Since the Bulls are trying to retool
And the raptors get a allstar power foward that Could help them get to the finals since the Cavs are the only real threat from the east
T.Ross 3.6mill this year.. Pau Gasol 7.5mill. i don’t think they would trade Ross + DraftPick to be in a hole. Markieff Morris is Best. Trade P.Pat, JJ AND 1st round pick. I know he can be a rough one but with the Leaders that Raptors have, I don’t think he’ll become that guy he is in Phenox
what?? u wanna give up that much for a head case?? come on
Of those three the one I see as the best fit is probably Faried but any upgrade over Scola at this point would be worth it. I would have also added P. Gasol and R. Anderson to the list as well and of the five of those I’d say the best trade fit period at the 4 is Gasol because he is the best overall player in the bunch and can mentor Valanciunas for the time that he’s there and hopefully get something more out of Valanciunas into the future though I wouldn’t sleep on Anderson because though he is inconsistent in that he will give you 20+ or under 10 every night he is on the floor the nights that Anderson is on fire can be nights that you can rest Lowry and Derozan more than you normally would and save some of their legs for the playoffs. My ranking of the 5 PF possible trade candidates goes Gasol, Anderson, Faried, Young, Morris…
I doubt the Bulls would be willing to trade Gasol in conference, to a rival, unless the package was really good. Really good as in at least one first round pick (I don’t know exactly the terms of all the picks the Raptors are to get, but one that would have a chance to actually turn into a first rounder rather than one that would turn into a second rounder if it doesn’t fall outside its protection), and probably another 2 or 3 players. Chicago isn’t going to take the Raptors scraps just for the sake of getting something for Gasol. Also with Anderson, he is pretty bad defensively so while I don’t know how the Raptors are on defense, Anderson’s poor defensive play is definetly something to consider.
Gasol will never happen because of salary structure and the fact when they are healthy the Bulls are contenders in the east, Faried makes the most sense because he does not need the ball to have a impact on the game sure they lose spacing with him but you gain arguably next to Blake Griffin and Aaron Gordon the most athletic PF in the entire league who Masai Ujiri drafted while he was in Denver Faried also would be able to defend Kevin Love on the perimeter and battle him and Tristan Thompson for rebounds around the basket, Morris helps offensively but would hurt us defensively and also affect chemistry because he needs the ball to be productive, The Raptors have to upgrade that position PERIOD!!! and Faried is a perfect fit for the team and fan base who would fall in love with his heart and hustle
seems to me a simple way of upgrading would be maybe getting d lee from the celtics … i think he would fit in really nice and could get him for next to no assets.