The Toronto Raptors’ core, which is led by players like Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, is about to reach its ceiling, and the team is quickly heading towards an unavoidable trade in the coming weeks. Free agency searching, the circumstances simply don’t seem sustainable.
Scottie Barnes is one of the Raptors’ biggest stars, and his performance this season may give them enough reason to think he can be a top scorer for the next ten years. Darko Rajakovic may need to surround Barnes with more youthful shooters before his style of play truly takes off.
The Indiana Pacers are a great fit for both Pascal and OG in trades, since they need a star player in addition to Tyrese Haliburton to be competitive. The most recent rumours seem to indicate that one of their young, promising talents needs to be shipped north of the border if they hope to pick up either of these two.
Jarace Walker, a power forward for the Pacers and the eighth overall pick in 2023, “could move the needle” in the Anunoby or Siakam negotiations, according to Mike Scotto of HoopsHype. Masai Ujiri would be taking a significant risk once more on a bright forward with enormous potential.
Since his time as a college player at Houston, Walker has been considered a defense-first player and has hardly played in any rotation minutes. But more than can be said about Gradey Dick, the No. 13 choice, Walker has shown that he is far too excellent for the G League.
Walker might not be the ideal fit for a Raptors club that hasn’t had much luck developing players who struggle to score into juggernauts, but Ujiri might be too enthralled with the idea of someone with his degree of defensive skill, movement, and raw force.
Buddy Hield seems like a player Toronto may acquire in a trade with the Pacers. In addition to an experienced shooter and a few draft picks, the Raptors may have two significant two-way starters on their rookie contracts with Walker taking over for Siakam or Anunoby.
Walker is still developing, but Ujiri isn’t one to turn away a player who needs improvement, even after some of the worst seasons of his time with the franchise. Keegan Murray, the former No. 4 selection, might not be available, but Walker seems to be available for a reasonable price.
