Toronto Raptors

A pair of Toronto Raptors could be on the move ahead of the trade deadline next month.

Per NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Bruce Brown "has been regarded leaguewide as the Most Likely Raptor To Be Traded" while the Raptors "appear to have been showcasing" Chris Boucher as of late.

Brown was traded to the Raptors from the Indiana Pacers last season in the deal for Pascal Siakam. The 28-year-old will be a free agent this offseason and Toronto is hoping to get something in return for him before then.

Brown made his season debut in December after missing the first part of the season while recovering from an offseason knee surgery. He hasn't exactly found his rhythm just yet, as he's putting up just 6.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists in eight games while playing 25 minutes per contest.

Brown has been a contributor on a championship-winning team in the past—he averaged 11.5 points with the Denver Nuggets in 2022-23—and a change of scenery could help him up his game.

Boucher is having his best year since the 2020-21 season, putting up 10.5 points and 4.5 boards off the bench. Stein and Fischer noted a recent four-game stretch that saw him record 16.3 points with a true shooting percentage of 95.9.

The Raptors, far from playoff contenders at 10-31, will likely try to get some pieces that can help them build for the future in return for Brown and Boucher.

The Toronto Raptors have "resisted" opposing teams' interest in starting center Jakob Poeltl, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Stein noted that there has been "mounting" interest in Poeltl from other front offices, but Toronto doesn't appear to be committed to moving him. The Raptors are reportedly "open" to trading backup center Kelly Olynyk and guard Bruce Brown prior to the Feb. 6 deadline, though.

With Toronto owning the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 8-27, team president Masai Ujiri could approach the deadline with a goal of offloading veterans for future assets and building towards next season.

NBA insider Jake Fischer previously reported that the Raptors have also made 31-year-old forward Chris Boucher available in trades.

Poeltl has started the 2024-25 season strong, averaging a career-high 15.4 points while his 10.7 rebounds per game rank No. 8 among all players. He's also recording 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks each night, shooting 60.4 percent from the field.

The 29-year-old doesn't fit the exact timeline of a young Raptors team, but his ability to remain effective without needing the ball in his hands makes life easier for teammates such as Scottie Barnes, Gradey Dick and RJ Barrett.

In fact, Poeltl's average of 4.7 screen assists per game is the second-highest mark in the association behind Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis (via NBA.com).

He's set to earn $19.5 million for both the 2024-25 season and 2025-26 season before he'll need to make a decision on another $19.5 million player option that can keep him in Toronto until the 2027 offseason.

Brown is set to enter unrestricted free agency at the end of the year while Olynyk is only signed through the 2025-26 season, so the Raptors could move both players instead of watching them potentially leave as free agents.

Toronto's desire to move Poeltl could change as the deadline draws closer, but the team doesn't appear to be willing to discuss trades involving him as of now.

Teams searching for a big man prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline should have several options to pursue.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Toronto Raptors center Chris Boucher and the Brooklyn Nets' Day'Ron Sharpe are both on the trade market. Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles, Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards and New Orleans Pelicans big Daniel Theis are also expected to be available.

Kings shooting guard Kevin Huerter is a candidate to be moved as well, per Fischer.

Boucher has operated as a key bench piece for the Raptors throughout his career and opened the 2024-25 season in a reserve role once again. In 24 games, he's averaging 10.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 18 minutes per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field.

He's also proven to be a capable threat from three-point territory, shooting 32.8 percent from behind the arc on 2.6 long-range attempts per game in his career.

Boucher has fallen out of Toronto's rotation as of late, and his upcoming free agency at the end of the season could increase the likelihood of a deal. At 31 years old, he also doesn't fit the timeline of a young Raptors squad.

Sharpe has shown promise throughout the first four years of his NBA career, but he could be moved after failing to sign to an extension with the Nets before the start of the regular season.

He's only made five appearances this year due to a hamstring issue, but he's proven to be effective at crashing the glass while showcasing his offensive upside. Sharpe owns career averages of 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game.

Fischer and NBA insider Marc Stein previously reported that the Kings were making Huerter and Lyles available as they attempt to rearrange the supporting cast around De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

Expect several centers to be on the move prior to the Feb. 6 deadline.

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes is reportedly expected to miss an extended period of time due to injury.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Barnes suffered a right ankle injury during Monday's 113-108 loss to the New York Knicks, and it is believed that he will be out for "several weeks" as a result.

Barnes, 23, was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2022, and he was named an All-Star for the first time last season.

After missing 22 games last season due to injury, Barnes has struggled with multiple ailments this season as well, including an orbital fracture that cost him 11 consecutive games from late October into November.

Barnes returned to play in each of the Raptors' past 10 games, but an ankle injury limited him to just 22:50 of playing time Monday, and he finished with 15 points, five rebounds and three assists in the loss.

For the season, Barnes has appeared in 14 games, and he is averaging 20.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.9 three-pointers made and 1.3 steals per contest, while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 31.0 percent from beyond the arc.

The former Florida State standout set career highs across the board last season with 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.7 three-pointers made and 1.3 steals per game, but he was pacing toward matching or exceeding all of those totals this season.

Five of the Raptors' seven wins this season have come with Barnes in the lineup, but they have still struggled to the tune of a 5-9 mark when he has played.

Overall, Toronto is just 7-18 on the year, placing it 14th out of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference.

When taking the entire league into account, the Raptors have the fourth-worst record, and things only figure to get worse with Barnes on the shelf.

The biggest beneficiary of Barnes' absence from a production standpoint will likely be wing RJ Barrett, who leads the team with 23.6 points per game to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists.

Guard Gradey Dick and center Jakob Pöltl will also be tasked with taken on a greater offensive burden while Barnes is out, and both Ochai Agbaji and Chris Boucher are in line for more playing time in the Toronto frontcourt.

Former Toronto Raptors player Vince Carter had his No. 15 jersey retired by the franchise on Saturday night in an emotional ceremony at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

After spending his first seven years with the team, Carter has been credited with inspiring the basketball community across Canada.

"The legacy is still growing," Carter said at the ceremony. "This is the icing on the cake."

Carter officially retired in 2020 with the Atlanta Hawks after playing 22 years in the NBA.

Several players recorded congratulatory videos for the former Rookie of the Year, including Stephen Curry, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and Tristan Thompson, many of whom credited their love for basketball to Carter.

Fans watched in amazement as they cherished every moment of the Hall of Famer taking the court.

"It's not just Carter 15 going up, it's all of us going up," Carter told fans during the ceremony. "The memories, however you view it, goes up tonight. I hope and pray we enjoy our jersey being retired forever together."

Along with current players, some of Carter's former Toronto teammates, including Tracy McGrady, Charles Oakley, Dee Brown, Jerome Williams and Muggsy Bogues, joined him and Raptors president Masai Ujiri for the ceremony.

"He taught us how to fly," Ujiri said while introducing Carter during halftime.

Carter referred to the ceremony as "a day I'll never forget," expressing his profound appreciation for the honor of having his No. 15 jersey raised to the rafters.

LeBron James congratulated Hall of Famer Vince Carter during his jersey retirement with the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar gave Carter a shoutout in a post on X.

Carter's No. 15 uniform went up into the rafters at halftime of Toronto's clash with the Sacramento Kings, making him the first player in franchise history to have his jersey retired.

A banner featuring Carter's jersey number, along with an image of his famous between-the-legs dunk during the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, was raised in Scotiabank Arena.

James praised Carter's tenure with the organization and his impact on the city of Toronto after the Lakers defeated the Raptors by the score of 131-125 on Friday night.

"It makes all the sense in the world," James said, via TSN's Josh Lewenberg. "What he's done for this franchise, the impact he had in his community, the way he changed how basketball is looked at in Canada itself, obviously Toronto. Well deserved."

Carter averaged 23.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game as a member of the organization during his career. He ranks No. 4 on the team's all-time scoring list and No. 8 on Toronto's all-time assists leaderboard.

He earned Rookie of the Year honors following the 1998-99 season and made six All-Star teams with the Raptors.

Carter has been recognized for his accomplishments throughout the year, as he was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will also have his jersey retired by the Brooklyn Nets during a Jan. 25 matchup with the Miami Heat.

As Carter's legacy with the Raptors was honored on Saturday night, James applauded his former opponent.

Having lost three of their first four games to start the 2024-25 season, the Toronto Raptors will be without their best player for at least the next three weeks.

The Raptors announced on Wednesday that Barnes has been diagnosed with a right orbital fracture and his condition will be updated following a re-evaluation in three weeks.

The injury occurred in the Raptors' 127-125 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Barnes attempted to get his own rebound after missing a shot in the fourth quarter when he was inadvertently elbowed in the face by Nikola Jokić.

After the Nuggets scored on the ensuing possession, the Raptors called timeout to sub Barnes off the floor. He eventually went to the locker room and didn't return to the game.

Toronto had a 112-108 lead with 30 seconds left to play in regulation when Barnes was injured. Ochai Agbaji, who entered the game for Barnes, missed a free throw that would have given the Raptors a four point lead with 21 seconds remaining.

The Nuggets outscored the Raptors 6-2 at the end of the fourth quarter with Barnes off the floor. Jamal Murray's layup as time expired tied the score at 114 and sent the game to overtime.

Toronto shot just 4-of-12 from the field in overtime. Barnes nearly posted his first triple-double of the season with 21 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, along with five steals in 35 minutes.

The Raptors were in rough shape with Barnes, ranking in the bottom 10 in the league in offensive and defensive rating. Things only figure to get more difficult for them without their best player.

Barnes averaged 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists in four starts. An absence of at least three weeks ensures he will miss the next 11 games, including the Raptors' first two NBA Cup games against the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 12 and Detroit Pistons on Nov. 15.

The Toronto Raptors are bringing back some fan-favorite uniforms for the 2024-25 NBA season.

The team announced on Tuesday they will wear their classic purple jerseys that they wore during the days of Vince Carter during the early 2000s.

The 2024-25 Classic Edition uniforms pay homage to the jerseys worn from 1999 to 2003 during their early days as a franchise. That era is most remembered by Carter, who put up a career-high 27.6 points per game during the 2000-01 season and won the Dunk Contest the same year.

Carter also played alongside Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady in the unique purple uniforms. The Raptors drafted McGrady in 1997 and he spent his first three seasons in Toronto.

The revamped purple uniforms come as the Raptors celebrate the 30th anniversary of their franchise, which was introduced in 1995 alongside the Vancouver Grizzlies, who now play in Memphis.

Since winning the NBA Finals in 2019, the Raptors haven't found much success, reaching the playoffs just twice and advancing past the first round just one time. They've missed the postseason in back-to-back seasons and finished 25-57 last year, their fewest wins since the 2010-11 season.

Toronto will look to continue building around young star Scottie Barnes this year, and the Raptors are hoping their new uniforms will help spark a turnaround season.

The Toronto Raptors will retire Vince Carter's No. 15 jersey on Nov. 2, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN, making Carter the first player in franchise history to have his uniform go up in the rafters.

Carter, who started his career with the Raptors, will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024 and will also have his jersey retired by the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 25.

Carter, 47, was the No. 5 overall pick with the Raptors in the 1998 NBA draft and spent parts of seven seasons with the team, averaging 23.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in Toronto. He was the Rookie of the Year in the 1998-99 season and an All-Star six times while with the Raptors.

He would go on to play for the New Jersey Nets (2004-05 to 2008-09), Orlando Magic (2009-10 to 2010-11), Phoenix Suns (2010-11), Dallas Mavericks (2011-12 to 2013-14), Memphis Grizzlies (2014-15 to 2016-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-18) and Atlanta Hawks (2018-19 to 2019-20). He was an eight-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection (third team in 1999-00; second team in 2000-01) and one of the most memorable Slam Dunk champions ever.

As Lewenberg noted, the relationship between Carter and the Raptors has been icy at points after he asked to be traded in 2004 before being sent to the Nets. While he often faced boos from Toronto crowds after the trade, his reception from those fans thawed over time.

Still, the decision to have Carter as the first player to ever have his Raptors' jersey retired may be a controversial one, both in and outside of the organization.

Per Lewenberg, "There were high-ranking members of the organization who maintained that Kyle Lowry should be the first to receive the honor, having spent nearly a decade with the club, been the face of its most successful era, and led it to a championship."

Lowry, however, remains active in the NBA as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. And with Carter being inducted in the Hall in the same season as the Raptors celebrate their 30th anniversary as a franchise, the stars aligned for his jersey retirement.

Rogers Communications has reportedly purchased a 37.5 percent stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment from BCE for $3.48 billion, giving Rogers a 75 percent ownership stake in MLSE overall.

According to Sportico's Scott Soshnick and Kurt Badenhausen, Rogers already owned 37.5 percent of MLSE before doubling its stake. The remaining 25 percent of the company is owned by Larry Tanenbaum.

MLSE is the parent company of the NBA's Toronto Raptors, NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and MLS' Toronto FC. Based on the valuation of Rogers' purchase, MLSE is now worth $9.3 billion in total.

In addition to now owning a majority stake in the Raptors, Maple Leafs and Toronto FC, Rogers owns Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays as well.

The only major professional sports franchise based in Toronto that Rogers does not hold majority ownership of is the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, who are owned by Tanenbaum.

Both the Raptors and Maple Leafs have yielded mixed results in recent years, although the Raptors aren't far removed from their first and only NBA championship.

With NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard leading the way, the Raptors won it all in 2019, but Leonard left in free agency after the season, and the Raptors haven't gotten out of the second round of the playoffs since then.

The Raptors have now missed the playoffs in back-to-back years and three of the past four, including last season when they posted their worst record since 2010-11 at 25-57.

Getting to the postseason has not been an issue for the Maple Leafs, as they have eight consecutive playoff appearances to their credit, but all of them have been quick exits.

In fact, the Leafs have won only a single playoff series during their streak, that being a first-round win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023 before falling to the Florida Panthers in the second round.

The Maple Leafs are stacked with elite offensive talent such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, but the playoffs have been a different animal than the regular season, and they remain in search of their first Stanley Cup win since 1967.

Both the Raptors and Maple Leafs are gearing up to start their 2024-25 seasons next month.

The Raptors will open by hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 23, while the Leafs will be on the road for their opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 9.