The Toronto Raptors suffered a painful first-round loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2026 NBA playoffs. While shorthanded, the Raptors pushed a talented Cavaliers team to seven games, but would ultimately fall as star forward Brandon Ingram and starting point guard Immanuel Quickley were unable to suit up in the deciding Game 7. One could certainly argue the Raptors would have won this series had they been at full strength, but an argument can also be made that they are at least one significant piece away from being real contenders in the Eastern Conference.
In an article after Toronto was eliminated, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report named three potential trade targets for the Raptors this offseason. While Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo unsurprisingly tops that list, as he continues to generate trade buzz around the league, the second player on the list may come as more of a surprise.
According to Bleacher Report, New Orleans Pelicans star Trey Murphy could be a good fit for Toronto.
"The 6'8" swingman would address Toronto's glaring need for volume shooting and perimeter scoring without forcing this team go away from its clear preference for size and length along the wings," the article read. "Murphy, a former Dunk Contest participant, would also bring spring-loaded athleticism and a powerful scoring punch—he just averaged better than 21 points for the second consecutive season."
While this is an opinion piece, rather than sourced reporting on any potential interest in Murphy from Toronto, the fit makes sense. New Orleans just finished another season well below .500, at 26-56, and could be open to offers on the star wing. Previous reporting has suggested a significant asking price for Murphy, but perhaps that has come down as teams have been unwilling to meet it.
A 6-foot-8 forward taken 17th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Murphy is coming off a career high in scoring at 21.5 points last season. He attempted 8.6 threes per game, converting on 37.9% of them. He also pulled down 5.7 rebounds per game and dished out 3.8 assists per game, both of which were also career highs.
Still just 25 years old, Murphy’s best basketball could be ahead of him. While it would take a lot to pry him from the Pelicans, especially considering he still has three years left on his contract, his fit alongside Scottie Barnes would presumably be a perfect one.