Raptors will likely trade this 1 protagonist

The 2022-2023 NBA season has been an up-and-down for the Toronto Raptors thus far. They have yet to go above .500 for more than two games and recently endured a six-game losing streak that was broken Wednesday night against the red-hot New York Knicks.

They are a team that many people are watching as the trade deadline will be here before we know it. It’s only a matter of time before they make a trade, whether it’s a cost-cutting move to acquire future assets or to upgrade the team for a playoff push.

This is a playoff caliber team when things go well, but they desperately need some help in the interior as they need a real center. When they upgrade, Gary Trent Jr. said to be the player they build a trading pack around.

According to Michael Scotto from HoopsHypeTrent’s name was mentioned a lot during the G League Showcase in Las Vegas.

“According to numerous NBA executives who spoke to HoopsHype at the G League Showcase, the top Raptors trade candidate is unanimously Gary Trent Jr.

The current belief of those executives is that Trent Jr. will waive its $18.8 million player option and enter unlimited free agency this summer. Two executives told HoopsHype that they think Trent could make $20 million or more if he became unrestricted free agency. There is skepticism among several front offices across the league that Toronto would be willing to accept Trent Jr. if it exceeds the $20 million annual bandwidth.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Gary Trent Jr & Toronto Raptors Updates

It’s no surprise to anyone that Trent is strongly considering turning down his player option and opting out of his deal. Only 23 with high-level scoring chops and defensive advantage, Trent should be able to land a lucrative long-term deal worth more than $20 million a year with relative ease.

For example, Duncan Robinson signed a contract that pays him an average of $18 million and he owned nowhere near the top end of Trent. Robinson’s contract is one the Miami Heat already regret, as he was removed from the rotation altogether by the end of the 2021-2022 season.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Gary Trent Jr & Toronto Raptors Updates

Trent also shows improvement in his game. While his 3-point shooting has dropped overall this season, he has expanded his offensive play and has become a more efficient scorer on 2-point attempts, reaching 52.3 percent of his career shot attempts within the arc. Trent is also one of the leaders in steals per game and has what it takes to be an impactful two-way player.