The Toronto Raptors, who has been hesitant in making deals on the trading front the past three months, might make a move with roughly a week left before the trade deadline.
There are no shortage of trade prospects to explore if the Raptors would want to boost up their roster for the post All-Star break grind, although blog writer Kevin Nimmock thinks it's about time for general manager Masai Ujiri to go 'all-in' in his pursuit of Denver Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried.
Despite dealing some hiccups on the road last January, the Raptors (36-17) maintained their strong grip of the Atlantic Division, enjoying a 14.5 games lead over the Brooklyn Nets.
A fast-start in the season put the Raps in position to contend for a home-court advantage for the rest of the Eastern Conference playoffs, despite the Atlanta Hawks (43-11) already building a seven-game advantage before All-Star break.
The Raptors are ranked in the top-5 offensively in the entire league, averaging 105.6 points per game. However, their defense and rebounding remain glaring loopholes and could be their Achilles Heel in the playoffs if not addressed.
The Raptors have been linked to potential trades for several big men (Taj Gibson, Greg Monroe and Jordan Hill) all season long. Ujiri, known for being a big player in trading games, has been passive in engaging into trade talks the past few months, thought Nimmock has a gut feeling the Raps general manager will break his silence in the coming days.
With the February 19 trade deadline fast approaching, the FanSided analyst made a solid argument that the Raptors need to make a run for Faried, despite the fact that it might cost them some of their precious trade assets.
"Obviously, Faried won't come cheap. Ujiri could potentially get him for Terrence Ross, Greg Stiemsma and a first-round pick in 2015. This deal would certainly be worth it, as the Raptors would gain more playoff legitimacy and likely avoid the first-round exit they suffered against the Brooklyn Nets last season."
Faried, who is fresh from signing a four-year, $50M deal in the offseason, is having a subpar season as he continues to struggle under second-year head coach Brian Shaw. Nevertheless, the 26-year old is putting up 11.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in 27 minutes per game, and his tenacious activity inside the paint made him an instant upgrade over Amir Johnson, who is grabbing just 5.7 rebounds per game.
While losing Terrence Ross and a 2015 first-rounder would be a big blow for the Raptors' long-term plan, there's no doubt Ujiri is willing to make yet another gamble if he thinks his team is a piece away towards becoming a major championship contender. And by the look of it, it appears the Raptors are heading onto that direction.
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