Raptors Positioned to Take Advantage of Active Player Market This Summer

The Toronto Raptors have extra flexibility this summer to take advantage of what's expected to be a very active offseason of trades

Mar 7, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett (9) guards Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Raptors are lurking.

No, they’re not going to make some crazy win-now move this summer. Don’t expect Toronto to come up in trade rumors for whichever disgruntled superstar hits the open market. But with so much flexibility heading into the offseason, the Raptors appear poised to take advantage.

"It's going to be a different summer in the NBA. I think there’s going to be a lot of guys entering the NBA portal and I think there’s going to be a lot more player movement this summer,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said last week. “Part of it is teams underachieving but it’s also part of the new salary cap, you know, payrolls have to change and there’s going to be more movement.”

Take the Phoenix Suns, for example. Phoenix finds itself down 3-0 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA playoffs with limited avenues to improving their team. They have their own first-round pick this year but have traded away the rights to all their other future first-round picks through 2030. They’re also restricted in their ability to sign free agents and are prohibited from taking on salary in trades.

They’re not the only team too.

Golden State finds itself in a salary cap crunch and the Timberwolves could be forced to shed salary as well. The Boston Celtics have some salary cap issues lurking too.

That should give Toronto some options if they’re willing to take on salary from teams desperately looking to dip under the tax threshold. The Oklahoma City Thunder have repeatedly used this kind of trick to acquire future draft picks from teams who are looking to shed salary. The Raptors could also get involved in a much bigger deal as a third team with more cap flexibility should a superstar be on the move.

This is why Toronto coveted flexibility this summer.

Now the Raptors have an opportunity to make the most of their situation and potentially get involved in what’s expected to be an offseason full of transactions.