The Raptors have told teams they’ll wait until their current road trip is over before making a decision on their direction at the trade deadline, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said in an appearance on NBA Today on Thursday (YouTube link). With games in Houston on Friday and Memphis on Sunday still on tap for Toronto, potential trade partners will have to wait a few more days for clarity.
However, if the Raptors do make OG Anunoby available, Windhorst expects there to be several playoff teams vying for his services.
“If the Raptors are willing to put OG Anunoby on the trade block, I believe – conservatively – there could be six or seven different teams, a lot of them contenders for the title this year, who are willing to put in a significant offer for him,” Windhorst said. “It would really depend then on whether the Raptors prioritized getting young players… or if they decided to focus on draft picks, because that would change the order of teams that you’d like for OG.”
In the same TV segment, Windhorst’s ESPN colleague Bobby Marks observed that it would help potential Anunoby suitors if they could get some clarity on whether the NBA will tweak its contract extension rules in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Based on the current rules, if he were to sign an extension, Anunoby could only get a 20% raise on next season’s $18.6MM salary (or on his $19.9MM player option for 2024/25). As such, he may be inclined to wait for free agency to sign a new contract, since he could get a bigger raise at that point. However, if the new CBA loosens restrictions on veteran extensions, a team acquiring Anunoby now would be in a better position to extend him before the end of his current contract.
CBA negotiations are ongoing, so it’s unclear if teams will have a real sense by the February 9 deadline of whether or not those rules will change.
Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- The Hornets are engaged in trade talks about “almost all of their veterans,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link) writes, citing league sources. While Lowe doesn’t name specific players, we’ve previously heard Mason Plumlee, Terry Rozier, and Kelly Oubre, among others, referred to as possible trade candidates.
- In his Lowe Post podcast, Lowe mentions in passing that teams are calling the Timberwolves about forward Taurean Prince “a lot.” Lowe doesn’t provide any additional details, but it seems safe to assume that Minnesota isn’t eager to move one of its key role players, given the team’s playoff aspirations. The Wolves currently rank sixth in the West at 28-26.
- Rival executives tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that they believe the Jazz have at least one team willing to offer a first-round pick for veteran wing Malik Beasley. It’s unclear what sort of protections that first-rounder might have or whether Utah would have to take back a multiyear contract for salary-matching purposes.
- The Bucks aren’t the only team that has requested and received permission to speak to Suns forward Jae Crowder, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who says there are “others” who have done the same.
Lakers need 3rd team to get this trade done. (friendship)
Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. for Russell Westbrook, Austin Reaves and two-first round picks.
Third team to take Westbrook and Otto Porter
Offer the players Raptors like.
Why do you think the raptors want to give up all their good players for everyone else’s garbage. We can do far better
If you want to do vanvleet birch Boucher and porter for Westbrook and two 1sts then giddy up
As a Raps fan I think we should be resigning Trent. He’s really good and this trade opens cap space to give him an extension. Westbrook can help us guarantee a top 5 pick too
You don’t need cap space to re-sign your own players
What a terrible trade for the Raptors. You must be a bot or a Lakers fan. Absolutely a horrible trade for the Raptors. You are dismissed sir.
Nah they just spam this place with any trade that pops into their head. Doesn’t matter if it’s a terrible deal, Sillivan will post it.
I was expecting oubre, Hayward, rozier to be better when I just looked. The players have the worst 3pt% of their careers this year. The first two at 30%
Prince is on an extremely team-friendly contract and is a solid 3-and-D guy, no surprise other teams want that
I’m not an OG fan. And I definitely ain’t giving up 3 picks for him. He’s a solid 2way guy. I see RJ as already having that covered. I’d rather go another way.
Scoring SG or wing. DeRozan to me fits us well right now. And Bulls can get younger and build around LaVine. I see Randle giving DeRozan respect. Probably get the best of Randle. With DeRozan being a closer. Makes us a much better team. We probably lead the L . In losing gms in last 3 mins.
No to OG ……
Yes to DeRozan, Yes to Grant, yes to Bey.
Quickley should be enough for Bey
Good! We don’t want to trade him to the Knicks for all your crap 1st rounders
I agree with u I would trade for Demar DeRozan as well his lethal mid range game would make us dangerous come playoff time. But Are u kidding me about RJ Barrett. He has the worst defensive rating on this Knicks squad . RJ Barrett has regressed so much his max extension is looking worse by the day and he plays up and down so much he shouldn’t have been a worthy of a third round pick. RJ Barrett is in year four and still has no mid range game and he is inconsistent when it comes to three point shooting. If I was the coach and not as stubborn as this enept coach Thibs I would start IQ over Barrett because he is more of a two way player like Grimes and like OG who is the league leader in steals and is in top five or ten in defensive rating so I beg to differ OG would improve our squad and dam Lazy Leon Rose is doing nothing but hoarding draft picks so what is three picks when he can’t pull off a trade to save his life.