Shocking details about the future of Gary Trent Jr.’s Raptors

The Toronto Raptors’ regression is something that many teams in the NBA hope will continue in the coming weeks as we move ever closer to the deadline. It will make the hard decisions they have to make over the next year and a half more difficult, potentially giving other franchises a chance to capitalize.

Toronto is currently riding a four-game losing streak, dropping their record to 13-16. They rank 10th in the Eastern Conference and hold the last spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

There are a lot of pieces that are nice in this roster because it’s a talented team. But they still lack a real center, and things could look very different in the 2023 off-season when Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. could cancel their contracts and seek long-term deals.

The Raptors must decide if those two players, along with Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, are the core they want to move forward with or if they will adapt and start building around sophomore forward Scottie Barnes Jr. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, there are teams in the league hoping it’s the latter. But he doesn’t see things happening that way.

“But more realistically, the Raptors will fight to avoid the play-in, compete and answer their more vital questions later. If there’s one player who won’t meet the deadline, it’s Trent.

Trent (nearly 24) would suit any team looking for a wing scorer who can defend. The Suns, Lakers, Warriors, Hawks and Heat could be interested.”

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

Trent, along with Anunoby, has been involved in most of the trade rumors over the past few months and it looks like if they’re going to do anything, Trent will be the center of attention. With Anunoby taking another step forward in his development and arguably the best defender in the NBA, it makes sense that Toronto would want to keep him.

The list of teams potentially interested in Trent probably goes beyond the five Pincus listed. Considering his age, scoring ability and defensive ability, he would be a popular player in the trading market. But his value could take a hit as teams know he will likely choose to sign a lucrative long-term deal in the off-season.

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

The Duke product is more than a typical 3-and-D wing as it has vastly improved its efficiency on 2-point shots this season. Unfortunately, he leaves something to be desired in other areas as he doesn’t rebound much and hasn’t made too much progress as a playmaker. But his scoring and defending are well worth the price he’s likely to demand in the open market.