Toronto Raptors are contemplating on making a move to acquire an established player, probably a seasoned-banger, in an effort to juice up their frontline especially after their Western Conference road trip slightly exposed their weakness upfront, Zach Lowe claimed on his latest entry on Grantland.
In an interview with Lowe, Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri revealed that he himself was surprised by the way his team ascended to the top of the Eastern Conference.
The Raptors' early conquest of the Eastern Conference has been one of the biggest surprises, if not the most unexpected, storylines midway into the 2014-15 NBA season.
While Kyle Lowry emerged as one of the finest playmaker in the league, Toronto doesn't really feature a top-tier All-Star. However, head coach Dwayne Casey is known for his knack of tapping into the potential of his players, allowing up-and-coming ballers like DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Ross, Jonas Valanciunas and Lou Williams to compete at the highest level.
But like any other contender, the Raptors have to overcome some roadblocks along the way, if they are committed to win it all this year. With DeRozan missing a significant chunk of games because of a groin injury, the Raps went 4-2 in their recent eight-game road trip and are currently on a three-game losing stream after bowing down to West elites like the Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns.
For several analysts, the rough results of their road trip only exposed a missing piece, specifically on the defensive end of the floor, the Raptors need to plug in between now and the February 19 trade deadline.
Toronto has no shortage of 'trade assets' in the form of expiring deals and draft picks (including a first-round taken from the New York Knicks after dealing away Andrea Bargnani), but the former Executive of the Year stressed he won't make any move unless it won't curtail the growth of the team beyond this season.
"That's a question I can't answer," Ujiri said when asked about dealing the first-round pick for immediate help in the frontline. "It depends on what's there. But I won't make decisions that are going to shorten our growth and help us only this year."
"We favor building with our own players because we've gotten to know them," Ujiri said. "And then adding accordingly."
Lowe believes the Raptors are certainly capable of trading for another solid contributor. The Denver Nuggets, whom Ujiri worked for and continues to have a close ties, are in position of trading several players in the midst of a disappointing season.
From emerging center Timofey Mozgov to wing defender Aaron Afflalo, the Nuggets can certainly provide the Raptors with the talents needed to make that deep run towards the championship this season.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
