The Raptors may find it hard to determine what they need ahead of the trade deadline, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes. The deadline falls on February 10 this year, which is less than three weeks away.
“We’re trying to evaluate who exactly we are, and if you’re going to try to add a piece or two, which you’re always trying to do, saying, ‘What does this team need?’” head coach Nick Nurse said. “Even in the championship year you’re trying to figure out where can we make it that much better, that much deeper or whatever. It has been more difficult this year to figure it out.”
Like many teams, Toronto has dealt with availability issues this season due to COVID-19 and injuries. The team is currently in the play-in tournament picture at 22-21, good for the eighth-best record in the East.
Should they pursue a trade, the Raptors could benefit from upgrading their offense. The team ranks 27th in field goal percentage (43.6%), 21st in three-point percentage (34.1%), and 23rd in points per game (106.8). On the flip side, Toronto has made the third-fewest turnovers per game (12.6).
There’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced on social media (Twitter link). Unseld will return to coaching against the Celtics on Sunday. The club went 1-3 in the four contests he missed while in protocols.
- The Knicks made Julius Randle‘s situation worse by not allowing him to speak to the media after a loss to New Orleans this week, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News opines. New York was fined $25,000 for the decision. Randle has struggled in recent games, scoring four points on 1-of-9 shooting against the Pelicans. He was also fined $25,000 for using profane language during media interviews earlier this month.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines several notes related to the Heat, including the team’s upcoming game against the Lakers on Sunday. Current Lakers players LeBron James, Avery Bradley, Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington and Kendrick Nunn all hold experience with the Heat, though only James, Bradley and Ariza played in Los Angeles’ win over Orlando on Friday. Ellington received a DNP-CD (did not play, coach’s decision), while Nunn continues to rehab a bone bruise.
Trade Randle for Haliburton and Bagley.
Kings not trading Hali. Randle wouldn’t be enough anyway
Work in 2k?
I’d happily add Quickley to that deal. Knicks NEED a point guard like Halliburton. They could still go add Grant or Wood to replace Randle.
Maybe in October it could have happened. Right now I don’t know if we could get Barnes and Bagley for him.
This is a ludicrous trade proposal. Randle peaked last year.
Raptors need to add a centre.
Easy buckets in the paint equals a better FG% and more points per game.
Jakob Poetl is a good start, but should also look into Tristan Thompson, Christian Wood and Jusif Nurkic
Tristan Thompson sounds terrible, but I’d love to see Richaun Holmes on the Raps
Thompson gives 110% effort most the time. He’s from Canada so that could be some extra motivation. He’s won a chip I think he could work well.
When a 7 year vet with no previous All Star seasons under his belt has a season like JR did last year I think most expect *some* regression to the mean.
But Randle is currently regressing closer to his rookie year than his career averages.
Not sure how many know this.. but LeBron ducked the Heat for years after he left in 2014… he would have “days off” then the Cavs faced the heat, and on the rare times he did play… he didn’t play well. Wasn’t until he was in LA that he played the Heat normally. He infamously faced the Heat in preseason the year he left for the Cavs and passed the ball to a Heat player on accident…. interesting look into his mentality on that.
@Jeremyn
Don’t take this personal but I always like to fact check ppl when they say things like this because I’m curious.
2014-15. Cavs play Heat 4x
Result: 2 wins, 2 losses
LBJ plays all 4 games scoring 23, 26, 18 and 30.
2015-16. Cavs play Heat 3x
Result: 1 win. 2 losses including 1 dnp @ Miami
scoring 26 and 29.
2016-17: Cavs play Heat 3x
Result: 1 win. 2 losses including 2 dnp, both @ Miami. However, that was the year they chose to rest him 8x most of which, including both Miami road games, were the 2nd of a back to back road series.
2017-18: Cavs play Heat 3x
Result: 2 wins, 1 loss. He scores 18, 24, 21
You were sort of right but I don’t think he was ducking anyone. Why? I still live in Miami and they treat him with a hell of a lot more love in Miami after he left than the Cavs fan showed when he visited Cleveland. He played in all 14 games vs Cleveland except for 1 home game his 3rd year with the Heat.