Let\u2019s play a game: Which word in the following quote from Bobby Webster does the Toronto Raptors general manager most love to come back to when speaking to the media?<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019ve been stockpiling in the last few years, having a lot of assets, having our own picks, having players under rookie-scale contracts, that allowed us to build and be the youngest team in the playoffs,\u201d Webster said Tuesday evening after the Raptors selected Allen Graves in the first round of the NBA Draft. \u201cBut yeah, at a certain point, we want to be opportunistic in the trade market. We\u2019ll look to do that over the course of the summer and even to the trade deadline next summer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Did you clock it? Need a second? OK, you\u2019re out of time. It\u2019s \u201copportunistic.\u201d And wouldn\u2019t you know it, it showed up in the headline on The Stein Line in which Jake Fischer reported<\/a> that the Raptors are interested in acquiring old pal Kawhi Leonard this offseason. I can confirm that interest. For now, that\u2019s all it is.<\/p>\n However, it is that word \u2014 opportunistic \u2014 that should tell you how the Raptors are approaching this offseason. Whether it was with a young point guard such as LaMelo Ball, who was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday morning, an older forward such as Leonard or a mid-career big, the Raptors can make an offer they feel good about and stick with it, because nothing about their own cap sheet or roster is pushing them to act now.<\/p>\n NBA Draft 2026: Winners and Losers from Round 1<\/p>\n Zach Harper and CJ Moore<\/p>\n Several factors are driving them to that approach. Scottie Barnes is the most obvious. While the Raptors will be able to offer him a contract extension in the 2027 offseason, he will still be signed for three more years after that. He will be 25 heading into next season. Every indication is that he likes being in Toronto. The Raptors want to take advantage of his prime and build a winner, but no age, market or other external factor is rushing them.<\/p>\n On top of that, the breadth of Barnes\u2019 abilities is his superpower, not necessarily one or two elite skills. With Barnes as the only untradable player on the roster (Collin Murray-Boyles is close, but could be moved in a virtually inconceivable trade for the absolute perfect fit), Webster is free to nudge his team in whichever stylistic direction he chooses. The Raptors\u2019 behaviour at the draft<\/a> indicates they will continue to push toward a defensive-minded team that tries to force turnovers, get out in transition and move the ball in the half court, but they are not married to that style. Eventually, they will need to acquire much more shooting, but that doesn\u2019t need to happen in a single transaction cycle.<\/p>\n