The NBA trade rumors are swirling in the wake of Dwane Casey’s firing in Toronto, with reports that the Raptors may be looking to trade DeMar DeRozan as part of an immediate rebuild.
A report this week from ESPN looked into the possibility of what the Raptors might get for the talented swingman, and which teams may be interested in his services. The report looked at a three-way trade with the Hornets and Jazz that would send guard Nicholas Batum and a slew of draft picks to Toronto, which the team would be able to use to re-tool and remain among the Eastern Conference contenders.
The NBA trade rumors have also connected the Dallas Mavericks to DeMar DeRozan, though Bleacher Report noted that the Mavs would likely not be interested in leveraging much of their future on DeRozan. The Mavericks have the third-best odds in the NBA draft lottery this week, the report noted, and they likely would not want to depart with it.
It is still not clear if DeMar DeRozan would even be on the trade block if the Raptors try to re-tool this offseason. Many believe that the team wants to hold onto the 6-foot-7 swingman and continue to build around him.
“I don’t think DeRozan is the guy the Raptors will try to trade,” reported Mike Fisher of 247Sports.com , citing an NBA insider.
But DeRozan was a big part of the team’s struggles in the playoffs, and he has had particular difficulty against the Cavaliers.
DeMar DeRozan finished with 3 points in the 1st half…
DeRozan has 6 playoff halves with 3 points or fewer in his career. 4 have come against the Cavaliers. pic.twitter.com/yVms6T0v2b
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 6, 2018
The NBA trade rumors surrounding the Toronto Raptors could also be affected by what happens in Cleveland this offseason. The Cavaliers have been the biggest roadblock to the Raptors, beating them now in four straight series including this season’s sweep. But the Cavaliers could be in for some major changes themselves, with rumors dating back to last that LeBron James might leave in free agency. If that were to happen, the Eastern Conference would suddenly be much more wide open, and the Raptors would be looking more to keep pace with the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.
It is not yet clear what the Toronto Raptors plan to do, but the rumors surrounding DeMar DeRozan are likely to only grow as the team searches for a new head coach.
