The Toronto Raptors expressed meaningful interest in Trae Young before his trade from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards and have now emerged as a potential destination for Ja Morant as the Memphis Grizzlies explore his market, sources said.
Toronto was one of only two teams beyond Washington to engage in substantive discussions regarding Young before he was dealt to the Wizards. The Raptors have been characterized by rival executives as one of the most active franchises pursuing a significant trade acquisition ahead of the February 5 deadline.
The franchise has also pursued Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks and Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings in recent weeks. However, their interest in elite point guards appears particularly strong given their pursuit of Young and reported monitoring of Morant’s situation.
The Raptors rank 12th in the NBA in net rating. The organization appears motivated to upgrade their roster with an elite talent to accelerate their competitive timeline.
Any major trade Toronto completes would likely include RJ Barrett as the centerpiece going out. The Raptors would also need to include either Jakob Poeltl or Immanuel Quickley to match salary in a deal for a major con player.
The emergence of Jamal Shead has been critical for Toronto’s backcourt depth. His development has provided the Raptors with additional flexibility in trade discussions involving their veteran guards.
Barrett has been productive this season but represents Toronto’s most valuable trade asset with a contract that can facilitate a significant deal. Poeltl provides veteran presence at center while Quickley offers scoring and playmaking off the bench.
The Raptors’ aggressive pursuit of multiple high-profile targets suggests the front office believes the current roster is close to contention with one transformative addition. Their focus on dynamic point guards like Young and Morant indicates a desire to add elite playmaking and scoring to their backcourt.