The Raptors are eager to shake up their roster before Thursday’s deadline and have interest in either facilitating a Jimmy Butler trade or acquiring Brandon Ingram from the Pelicans, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack column (subscription required).
Stein published a piece earlier this week detailing Toronto’s interest in Ingram. Since then, he says Stein Line partner Jake Fischer has heard from several sources that team president Masai Ujiri is considered to be a “fan of Ingram’s.” Ujiri is hoping to add a “significant piece” to his roster and reportedly likes the idea of combining Ingram’s scoring prowess with Scottie Barnes‘ playmaking abilities.
However, the Raptors also want to be part of a potential deal if the Heat can find a taker for Butler, and they likely don’t have the resources to pull off both trades. Their primary asset is Bruce Brown‘s $23MM expiring contract, while Chris Boucher and Davion Mitchell are also being made available.
Sources tell Stein that if the Warriors decide to make an offer for Butler, they would likely feature Andrew Wiggins as the centerpiece. There’s a “strong expectation” that Toronto would try to get involved in that deal to land the Canada native, according to Stein.
Fischer recently reported that the Heat would have some interest in adding Brown, and Stein calls them “reluctant in the extreme” to take back any contracts that extend beyond 2025/26. That would seem to rule out Wiggins, who has a $30.1MM player option for the 2026/27 season.
Brown’s salary would also be vital in the effort to acquire Ingram from New Orleans. Stein points out that Toronto hasn’t enjoyed much success in free agency, so trading for Ingram now could be a wise move before he becomes a free agent in July. There are a limited number of teams projected to have cap space this summer, and taking a few months to build a relationship with Ingram could give the Raptors an advantage toward signing him to a long-term deal.
Street Clothes Ingram can go somewhere else
Raptors-Wiggins
GSW- Butler
Heat-Brown and GP2
That’s an interesting start point for a 3 team trade. For Miami getting back expring deals for Butler (a top 25 player) has got to suck. For GSW Butler is a considerable upgrade on Wiggins but is it too late to a championship push?
As for Toronto, IQ RJ Wiggins Barnes, plus the likes of Gradey, Walter, Agbaji, Sheed and so on. Nice little core they are building but without any real top end talent probably means either another season of mediocrity or a big trade at some point.
Still really hoping to see Ingram to Heat in some trade or by FA
At this point Wiggins makes more sense than Ingram. Ingram is younger but never healthy!
If I am the warriors I would rather those raptors players than Jimmy Butler…and…I would rather Wiggins than Butler…why trade for an older player who is an obvious risk of not working out.. Even if Jimmy works out to be solid.. this is not a move that will make this team great… Having Draymond and Jimmy on one team would be interesting
I’m thinking this is also a way for the Raptors to tell the entire league “if you trade for Wiggins, you can flip him to us” it might not even end up being a GSW-TOR deal.
GSW know the championship window in only really 2 years and in order to turn the season around and drastically improve Butler for Wiggins becomes a possibility.
Butler is better at every facet of basketball besides shooting threes than Wiggins.
Butler to me would thrive as a 2nd or 3rd option which he would be, he’d be the lead guard along with Schroder on the perimeter. GSW has the spacing for it to work. Draymond and Jimmy would be trouble for other teams both so smart and determined. It’s definitely a team I wouldn’t want to come up against.
Imagine against the Lakers, Butler on Bron, Dray on AD, Schroder on AR. Maybe not ideal but steps in the right direction. Down the other end no one is taking Curry, Butler is giving guys problems if he gets hot, then ofcourse Schroder and Heild for impact.
Mavs, Butler and Schroder on Luka and Kyrie, with Green the help defender. Again much better than Wiggins. Then down the other end Naji/Klay ain’t stopping Jimmy and they still don’t really have an answer for Curry.
It would be very interesting to see anyways
Boucher >>>>> to Knickerbockers ………
Na. Take Olynyk
The warriors don’t want Butler. This is all click bait. Does Butler make them better? No.
Being a fan of Ingram is easy. He’s one of the most skilled offensive players in the league. This year, trading for Ingram is easy too. The NOP are looking to get something (anything) for him. What isn’t easy, is figuring out what to do with Ingram after this season. Can be resigned, rationally.
I know many Warriors fans have coveted Poeltl for years, is this finally the big chance they have to get him?
Come on Davey I never heard a warriors fan want him. Are you just making things up?
For years that’s been a thing. He’s always been “the big they really need”.
Raptors playing Canadian Pokemon