The Toronto Raptors are heading into the trade deadline with Kyle Lowry, Terrence Ross and DeMar DeRozan the best deal options for GM Masai Ujiri and teams like the Golden State Warriors, NY Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Hawks could be options for deals.
Lowry almost went to the Knicks earlier in the season in a deal for Iman Shumpert and now those talks could come back, according to ESPN.com, while Ross is getting more attention as the deadline gets closer. Ujiri has to straddle the line between rebuilding and staying in the playoffs and with Lowry being a free agent, there is a good chance he gets dealt.
Here is a look back from earlier in the season on some predictions of what the Raptors could do to see how things have polkaed out and yes, we know Rudy Gay was already traded. The Toronto Raptors have some wholesale changes at the top of their franchise with a new president and a new general manager and now that Masai Ujiri has taken over control of the roster, the team is shaping up heading into the 2013-14 season with signings like D.J. Augustin and Tyler Hansbrough.
Ujiri was hired after previously working for the franchise in the past and serving as general manager for the Denver Nuggets last season. Ujiri helped orchestrate the Carmelo Anthony trade with the New York Knicks a couple years ago and now he has already pulled off a big deal with the Raptors, once again with the Knicks, sending Andrea Bargnani to the team for Marcus Camby, Steve Novak and Quentin Richardson as well as draft picks.
The move was the first thing Ujiri needed to do after taking over to give the franchise some salary cap relief and by the end of it all, it's likely that Steve Novak will be the only player to play with the team. Marcus Camby had his contract bought out and Quentin Richardson has also expressed that he doesn't want to play for the team. Ujiri has proven to be very wise when it comes to talent and moves and he was able to swing Andre Iguodala from the Sixers in the Dwight Howard trade and he is coming off an executive of the year award.
Last season the Nuggets won a franchise-record 57 games, but the team was upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors. The team has a new head coach in Brian Shaw after not bringing back George Karl and the team also has a new front office calling the shots. Ujiri needed to trade Bargnani and based on how he played last season, Ujiri probably wanted to trade the former number one overall pick. The forward never lived up to expectations and after averaging 12.7 points and 3.7 rebounds, while shooting 39.9 percent and missing time with injuries, it was time to part ways.
Ujiri will need some luck for the team to turn around quickly, but Rudy Gay is a very good offensive player and so far this offseason the general manager has made some solid moves, signing Augustin, Austin Daye and Tyler Hansbrough. Kyle Lowry had a good season last year and now will have Augustin to back him up, while Hansbrough will give the team some toughness and depth after Bargnani was traded. Daye comes to the team after averaging 4.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 55 games while playing for Memphis and Detroit.
