WOLSTAT: Unless Raptors surprise this week, start selling

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Remember when we warned not to get too carried away about Raptors wins over the worst teams in the league? While anything can happen on any given night of a long regular season, each team is on a different tier overall, and it’s easier to see a carry-over when good things happen against a good (or even mid-tier) team (like Portland, the first opponent to start the three-game win streak) than when you simply beat up on a disaster (twice) like the Charlotte Hornets. So the Atlanta Hawks (another mid-tier team) showed they are of a different class than Charlotte on Saturday night (even though the Hawks had played a night earlier and the Raptors were rested). Toronto didn’t bring the requisite effort level (other than Scottie Barnes, Precious Achiuwa and Chris Boucher, basically) and the result was a disappointing loss.

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While Barnes was excellent again, a welcome development to be sure, Fred VanVleet’s struggles might have hit a new low (1-for-9 from the field, combined with 2-for-7 work from fellow starting guard Gary Trent) and he nearly didn’t even get back into the game at all thanks to his sore back (he did when Pascal Siakam fouled out in the fourth quarter).

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This week should help the front office figure out what to do in terms of the trade deadline (buy, sell, stand pat). Standing still seems like a non-starter to this corner, but you never know.

I’m still in the sell off camp, depending on what you can get back, unless you can add a core long-term piece somehow for futures.

If not, move Trent before he either leaves or gets paid a lot and as much as everyone loves O.G. Anunoby, it at least makes sense to check what’s out there for him (even though every national report and podcast out there suggests the Raptors love Anunoby and won’t move him. While it’s true they’ve been sky high on him since Day 1, again, it’s worth seeing if someone is willing to get crazy with an offer that would set the franchise up long-term to surround Barnes with the pieces that can make them a contender again).

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I wouldn’t move Siakam and would be hesitant to trade VanVleet, but again would see what kind of offers are out there considering he expects to get paid a ton and isn’t getting any younger or healthier.

Moving Thaddeus Young or Chris Boucher for a good second-round pick would also make some sense, given how many big men are on the roster.

This team has shown it can’t win on the road (only horrendous Houston has one fewer away), has a bunch of road games remaining and is nowhere close to the top of the conference. Nobody likes losing, but what’s the point of the play-in or getting crushed by Boston, Milwaukee, Brooklyn, Philadelphia or even Cleveland (though Toronto has had Cleveland’s number) when two franchise changers are up for grabs in what is believed to be a much stronger than usual lottery? Toronto is just 8-18 against teams with .500 records or better.

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Take a step back, like the Tampa year, to give yourself a chance for multiple seasons down the line.

AROUND THE RIM

THREE STARS

1 Trae Young

2 Scottie Barnes

3 Dejuante Murray

Honourable mention: Precious Achiuwa, Chris Boucher, AJ Grifin, Onyeka Okongwu