Toronto Raptors rumours: Victor Oladipo would be an intriguing addition
With Victor Oladipo reportedly naming the Toronto Raptors as a team he would like to be traded it, we look at why the deal would make sense.
With free agency almost a week away, the trade rumours are kicking into high gear and the Toronto Raptors are being linked to one in particular.
It has been known that Victor Oladipo is looking to move on from the Indiana Pacers but it looks like he wants it to happen before he becomes a free agent in 2021. According to J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star, Oladipo was telling opposing players that he would like their team to acquire him in a trade.
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One of those teams was the Raptors along with the Miami Heat and New York Knicks according to the report. It has been a tough couple of seasons for the 28-year-old as he had to recover from a ruptured quad that forced him to miss a year of action.
It’s not uncommon for an NBA player to voice his frustrations in order to facilitate a move and the Pacers are a team that will probably try to get something Oladipo instead of losing him for nothing. He is in the final season of a $21 million deal which is a great option for teams in a free agent market that is lacking star calibre players.
At the same time, Oladipo struggled in his return from injury. What the Raptors will like is his defence as he was named to the 2017-18 All-Defensive team.
Considering the question marks surrounding Serge Ibaka and Fred VanVleet, the Raptors should be looking at options for next season that also provide flexibility for the expected pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021.
Essentially, the Raptors could look at a scenario where if VanVleet walks, they could add the former second overall pick from 2013 in the lineup. This is obviously a pipe dream when you consider the Knicks and Heat would aggressively pursue Oladipo if he is indeed available.
Of course, just because Oladipo has a desire to play in Toronto, Miami and New York, it doesn’t mean that he will get his wish. Indiana should be looking to get the most out of the value he could have, although a team might not be intrigued in trading for Oladipo if he isn’t set on playing there.
It will certainly be a situation worth monitoring especially when teams need to fill holes in free agency.
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Do you think the Raptors should trade for Oladipo? Is there a package that would make sense? Let us know in the comments below.