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Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto Raptors stock up, stock down

By Vinny Somma | Last updated 6/4/23

The Toronto Raptors were one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this season. From being the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference in 2021-22 to getting booted from the play-in tournament this year, Toronto is entering a pivotal offseason. Here are four Raptors players whose stock is trending either up or down:

Stock Up

Pascal Siakam, PF: Despite a down season for the team, Siakam put forth one of his most prolific campaigns as a pro in 2022-23, en route to his second All-Star berth. The seven-year pro tied Kyrie Irving for the league lead in minutes per game (37.4) and set new career highs in field goals (8.9) and assists (5.8).

Siakam told reporters in April he'd "definitely love to be in Toronto." Yet, that's not going to silence the trade chatter surrounding the big man.

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Siakam is one of the NBA's most consistent players at his position, while the Raptors are a franchise that appears to be juggling the idea of tearing it down and entering rebuild mode. Either way, Siakam is in his prime and will be challenging for career numbers once again in 2023-24, whether that be in Toronto or elsewhere.

Jakob Poeltl, C: Originally drafted by the Raptors in 2016, Poeltl returned to Toronto for a second stint at this year's trade deadline. After 46 games with the Spurs to begin the year, Poeltl saw an average uptick in points (+1.0), field goal percentage (+3.6%), defensive rebounds (+0.2), steals (+0.4) and blocks (+0.2) over his 26 games (25 starts) with the Raptors.

Per Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus, numerous sources around the league believe Toronto is a "lock" to retain Poeltl, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. With Siakam's future in limbo, Poeltl could be destined for another uptick in production while anchoring the Raptors' frontcourt.

Stock Down

Scottie Barnes, G/F: By most accounts, Barnes endured a sophomore slump this season. After taking home Rookie of the Year honors the year prior, his efficiency took a big dip in 2022-23. According to Basketball Reference, Barnes' shooting percentage from 3-10 feet out dropped by 5.4% while his 3-point percentage fell under 30%.

Yes, the Florida State product's best attribute is his passing. And with speculation of Toronto ultimately trading Fred VanVleet, the door could open for Barnes to play more point guard moving forward. However, the Raptors will desperately need to add shooters around Barnes for such a move to prove beneficial. Toronto ranked in the bottom four in both team field goal percentage (45.9%) and team 3-point percentage (33.5%) this year.

Otto Porter, F: Porter's inaugural season in Toronto was a complete disaster. After serving as a key role player for the Warriors during their 2021-22 title run, Porter appeared in only eight games with the Raptors this season due to injury.

Porter picked up his player option for the 2023-24 season in April. Yet considering his relatively low base salary ($6.3 million), don't be surprised to see the 30-year-old forward tacked on as collateral in a large trade centered around either Siakam or VanVleet.

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