Toronto Raptors Rumors: 2 Players Who Definitely Won’t Be Back

The Toronto Raptors season came crashing to a halt in embarrassing fashion Wednesday night, as they coughed up a 19-point lead and missed a ridiculous 18 free throws, to lose by four, 109-105 in the Play-In elimination game vs. the Chicago Bulls.

There is no doubt changes will be coming this offseason for the Raptors, and it could even start with head coach Nick Nurse. But whether or not the former championship coach and Coach of the Year returns, there are some players that almost certainly won't be back. 

And while the list is likely to be much more exhaustive than this, we'll start with two players who, for different reasons, can expect to be calling somewhere other than Toronto home next season. 

Gary Trent Jr. 

The 24-year-old wing has had a fairly productive, though maddeningly inconsistent, couple of seasons with the Raptors. But he has an opt-out coming this summer, where he can forego the final year of his contract at $18.5M, to look for a longer-term deal on the open market (likely searching for something in the $20M/year range). 

Trent found himself largely out of the starting lineup down the stretch of the season, and when he did play, his numbers fell as drastically in the final 2+ months of the year. Whether it's because the Raptors aren't interested in investing long-term dollars in him, or because he himself is looking for greener pastures and a starting job somewhere, it's highly unlikely Trent will be back in The Six for 2023-24. 

Thad Young

Young was a DNP-CD for the last 14 consecutive games this season, and although he is the consummate pro, it looks like his time with the Raptors could be at an end. Make no mistake, Young could still help a team (yes, even this team) in limited minutes off the bench. He has also been a wise mentor for Scottie Barnes. But Young's $8M contract for next season is only partially guaranteed ($1M), and besides, that 8-Mill could come in mighty handy as contract filler in one of the expected offseason trades executives Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster will try to pull off. 

Others who have likely seen their final days in a Raptors uniform include Will Barton and Malachi Flynn. 

Yes, Fred VanVleet is expected to opt-out and become a free agent this summer, but there's no certainty that he's leaving. He's as ingrained in the organization as any player since Kyle Lowry. 

Photo: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports