The Toronto Raptors couldn’t complete a first-round upset series win over the Cleveland Cavaliers after pushing to seven games, losing Game 7 114-102, and going home in the first round for the second time in the last five seasons. They haven’t seen the second round of the Playoffs since 2020, so the team will be anxious about taking a step forward next season with Scottie Barnes solidifying himself as their franchise cornerstone.
The Raptors’ biggest change to this roster heading into this season was the addition of Brandon Ingram, which helped them improve enough to make the Playoffs, but not enough to see the second-round, especially with Ingram getting hurt. There are plenty of questions around the roster, with Barnes, RJ Barrett, and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles looking like the only players safe from being traded this summer. If the right deal is available, the Raptors have to maximize it.
Coach Darko Rajakovic has managed to lead Toronto back to the Playoffs despite few predicting this would happen in the offseason, with their position as the No. 5 seed in a competitive East a huge achievement and sign of progress. Now, if the team can make adjustments to their roster, they might vault themselves into contention in the East.
Let’s take a look at four potential trades the Raptors could make this offseason, including one huge deal for Anthony Davis.
Anthony Davis
Trade Details
Toronto Raptors Receive: Anthony Davis
Washington Wizards Receive: Jakob Poeltl, Immanuel Quickley, 2028 First-Round Pick (TOR), 2030 First-Round Pick (TOR)
Anthony Davis ($58,456,566) is at a crossroads in his career. He was uprooted from a comfortable home in Los Angeles and sent to Dallas because the Lakers got the chance to trade him for Luka Doncic. The Mavericks were forced to move on from AD after just 29 games with the franchise due to the backlash from the deal and his injury-prone habits keeping him off the floor. The Washington Wizards acquired him for a steal deal in February, but with rumors still floating about Davis being moved again, the franchise might be able to leave with more assets than they had before.
Jakob Poeltl ($19,500,000) is a veteran center who could be great behind Alexandre Sarr as a potential mentor, coming off averaging 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds last season. Immanuel Quickley ($32,500,000) averaged 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists this season for the Raptors and is a proven guard who could revitalize his career as a combo option in the Wizards’ guard core led by Trae Young and Tre Johnson. This scoring trio might make the Wizards impossible to contain in the halfcourt, especially with defensive stalwarts like Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly playing key roles as well.
Davis would be the perfect center for the Raptors, bringing the offensive polish they need out of a center next to Barnes. Retaining Ingram as a wing scorer will be huge as well, although it does force the Raptors to address their hole at point guard in another move. But if Davis is healthy after barely playing over the last season-and-a-half, he could make the Raptors the best defense in the NBA and be the final piece in what could be one of the best teams in the East.
The Wizards sent the Mavericks Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, and two weak first-round picks to acquire Davis. With him not having played a single game in Washington, the franchise would essentially maintain their roster status quo while improving their overall team assets, so this could be a deal they take if Davis does want to ensure he’s on a team competing for wins next season.
Michael Porter Jr.
Trade Details
Toronto Raptors Receive: Michael Porter Jr.
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Brandon Ingram, 2029 First-Round Pick (TOR), 2028 Second-Round Pick (TOR)
Michael Porter Jr. ($40,806,150) had a breakout season with the Brooklyn Nets last season, averaging 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. The team had no winning expectations and allowed Porter Jr. to shine as their No. 1 scoring option, where the former NBA Champion proved he could score at a high level even while being the sole player an opposing defense needs to contain. The value of offense like that in the modern NBA is extremely high, which is why the Raptors should be among the teams calling the Nets for a potential Porter Jr. deal.
The Nets have reliably continued flipping assets from the Kevin Durant trade in 2023 to gain more capital. Mikal Bridges resulted in five picks, while Cam Johnson resulted in Porter Jr. and one first-round pick. Now, the Nets can continue the cycle by trading Porter Jr. for another high-level forward like Ingram ($40,000,000) and adding draft assets to continue building their war chest for the future.
Ingram averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists last season and is bound to shine similarly to how Porter did in Brooklyn with increased opportunity. Ingram’s superior passing ability might allow him to boost his value even more.
Porter Jr. might be the perfect wing scorer for the Raptors, as he can create his own buckets while also effortlessly playing off other creators. He might be hard to work into coach Rajakovic’s offensive system, which prioritizes ball-movement, but the coach might adjust for a naturally high-volume and efficient scorer like Porter Jr. This is a clean deal for the franchise, as they get a clear upgrade here for a reasonable price.
Tyler Herro
Trade Details
Toronto Raptors Receive: Tyler Herro
Miami Heat Receive: Immanuel Quickley, 2030 First-Round Pick (TOR)
Not all moves need to be franchise-altering, as was reflected by the Ingram for Porter Jr. trade suggested earlier. The Raptors might find great success by swapping out certain players on their roster for productive counterparts viewed similarly across the league, as a change in scenario might be the best way to get the most out of them. This would be true for Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro ($33,000,000), who averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists last season as the franchise missed the Playoffs entirely.
The Raptors haven’t found what they need in a point guard with Quickley, as they require an equal balance of scoring and playmaking. Herro would be a much better fit for what the Raptors need with his developing playmaking talent and effortless scoring. His 6’5″ size also promises he can be a more viable defensive player than Quickley has been for the Raptors, although neither can claim to be a game-changer on that end.
Quickley would form a pretty interesting partnership with Bam Adebayo on the Heat after it looks like the Herro-Adebayo partnership ran completely out of steam last season. Adding another first-round pick to their arsenal and a contract like Quickley’s might be beneficial in their reported pursuit of a potential star in the NBA trade market, while Herro ends up on a team with an actual role for him instead of as an afterthought in a superstar trade driven by draft compensation.
Lauri Markkanen
Trade Details
Toronto Raptors Receive: Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz Receive: Brandon Ingram, Ja’Kobe Walter, 2029 First-Round Pick (TOR), 2026 Second-Round Pick (LAL), 2030 Second-Round Pick (TOR)
Lauri Markkanen ($46,113,154) had a confusing 2025-26 NBA season, averaging 26.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, and being one of the best offensive players in the NBA when he played. However, he was impacted by the tanking measures the Utah Jazz implemented, spending the second half of the season on the bench with multiple injuries and illnesses instead of playing basketball in the middle of his prime. With the Jazz also acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr., who plays the same position as Markkanen, there are valid reasons to consider a separation between player and franchise this summer.
Acquiring an offensive player like Markkanen might be the best bet for the Raptors this offseason. He’d fit seamlessly in the frontcourt with Scottie Barnes and provide on offense what Barnes can do on defense. Markkanen will also benefit from Barnes’ growing playmaking ability and likely be the unquestioned No. 1 scoring option on the franchise, ahead of both Barnes and Barrett. While this might necessitate a guard trade that sends Quickley out for a better playmaker and defender, getting Markkanen will have a huge impact on their ceiling as a franchise.
Every team needs a scorer like Markkanen in the Playoffs, which showed for the Raptors in their elimination at the hands of the Cavaliers. He’s an option that can attack mismatches on smaller forwards while having the size and skill to go toe to toe with the best frontcourt defenders in the NBA. He’d transform the Raptors’ offense, but the franchise will be taking a risk with his long-term max contract, which expires in 2029. It limits their cap space for the foreseeable future, but it could be worth it if he’s productive on the court.
