Serge Ibaka (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Toronto Raptors are among the contenders looking to further improve their roster, and with a handful of players becoming available as the deadline draws near, the team has plenty of potential trade targets to consider.
The Raptors are one of the teams looking to add frontcourt help, particularly filling the void at the four spot. But regardless of the position, there is a deep need for Toronto to bring in a defensive big man, who could fill the hole left by Bismack Biyombo.
One player the Raptors could consider is Detroit Pistons backup center Aron Baynes. According to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders, the Pistons are exploring the trade market for Baynes, who will reportedly decline a $6.5 million player option after this season and become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2017.
Baynes is only averaging 4.4 points and isn't exactly a rim-protector, but the 30-year-old center can certainly be of service on the defensive end and would be a boost to the Raptors' interior defense and rebounding game.
Jusuf Nurkic of the Denver Nuggets could also be a target for the Raptors. EPSN's Marc Stein reported that the Nuggets are actively looking to move the 22-year-old center prior to the deadline in hopes of addressing their crowded frontcourt.
"Sources say that the Nuggets, having acknowledged that Nikola Jokic and Nurkic didn't click as a pairing, are actively working to find Nurkic a new home that would give him the chance he deserves to be a front-line center," Stein wrote.
Nurkic isn't a rim-protector either, but his size and mobility would make it difficult for opposing teams to score inside the paint. However, it is unlikely he would make an immediate impact in Toronto, although the prospect of pairing him with Jonas Valanciunas is an intriguing option for the Raptors.
Serge Ibaka is also a possible target for the Raptors, who have been long linked to the 27-year-old forward. Sean Deveney of Sporting News reported that the Orlando Magic have "picked up their attempts to move Ibaka" ahead of the trade deadline.
Ibaka would easily tick all the boxes for the Raptors. His versatility on both ends of the floor would be a tremendously help the Toronto in the postseason against. However, it remains to be seen whether the Raptors are willing to meet the Magic's high asking price, especially if any potential deal would include key players like Terrence Ross and Corey Joseph. Moreover, Ibaka is set to become a free agent this summer, which could see him as a one-year rental for the Raptors.
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