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Raptors trade targets: Three realistic players Toronto can pursue to accelerate rebuild around Scottie Barnes

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Naz Reid and Scottie Barnes
(Getty Images)

If the Raptors have learned anything this season, it's that Scottie Barnes is good enough to build around. He's taken a leap as a playmaker, shooter and defender, and he's done it with a less-than-ideal supporting cast around him. 

The next great Toronto team is probably going to look a lot different from the one it started the year off with. The front office has already taken steps in that direction in trading for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. Both are young players who fit more on the timeline with Barnes. 

What other young, gettable players make sense as long-term fits next to Barnes? Here's where the Raptors need to upgrade, and some available role players around the league that they could target this year. 

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Three Raptors trade targets to build around Scottie Barnes

Naz Reid, Timberwolves

Jakob Poeltl is a very good center in the right situation. Toronto is not that. 

Poeltl is a solid hub of an offense and play finisher, but he can't shoot from outside at all. That has made the paint very congested for Barnes. Poeltl's passing skills aren't as useful on this Raptors team either because he and Barnes like to operate in the same areas. 

Reid would be a nice option for the Raptors. He's one of the best backup centers in the league. He's behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert in the rotation but has been extremely effective in his minutes off the bench, averaging 12.5 points in only 22.2 minutes per game. 

Reid can shoot the ball, hitting 39.7 percent of his 3s this season and 35.4 percent for his career. He can create off the dribble for himself, and he's a good offensive rebounder when he doesn't have the ball. 

Reid can make some athletic blocks, but he's not known for moving his feet particularly well on defense. His shooting and secondary playmaking strengths could be highlighted next to Barnes, while his defensive weaknesses would be covered up by Barnes' excellent help defense. 

Best of all, Reid is only 24 years old and on a very reasonable three-year extension paying him $13 million this season.  

MORE: Why Immanuel Quickley is an ideal long-term fit with Scottie Barnes

John Collins
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John Collins, Jazz

Bringing Barrett to play alongside Barnes makes some sense if Barrett can fulfill his potential as a shooter and defender. He wasn't consistent enough in those areas in New York, but a change of scenery could be all that he needed.

If the Raptors do want to change course and go for a more natural fit, Collins could be that guy.

Collins is reportedly on the trade market yet again, per the Salt Lake Tribune's Andy Larsen, due to poor on/off splits and "his slow uptake on learning the Jazz’s system on both ends of the floor." His stay in Utah is further complicated by Walker Kessler's continued development and need to earn more minutes. 

Collins had a horrific year shooting the 3 last season, hitting just 29.2 percent of his attempts. That was in large part due to a hand injury, from which he looks totally recovered from. His shooting from deep is back up to 37.3 percent. He's a much more reliable option there than Barrett, who has hit just 34.2 percent of his 3s for his career. 

Collins was at his best playing next to Trae Young and getting set up for easy baskets. He's a good play-finisher who averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds in just his third year before becoming de-emphasized in Atlanta's offense. Whereas Barrett thrives by having the ball in his hands and creating off his drives, Collins could get back to his early career success with someone like Barnes setting him up for layups and 3s. 

Both Collins and Barrett are considered bad contracts around the league. Barrett's deal lasts for four years, while Collins is only at three. 

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Matisse Thybulle, Trail Blazers

If there is one defensive weakness that Barnes has, it's that he's not as great against the speedier guards in the league. He simply doesn't have the quickness to match up with them on the perimeter, but he is often forced into that role anyway because the Raptors don't have any better options. 

Thybulle is one of the best players in the league in that particular role. His on-ball defense is disruptive enough to have earned him two All-Defensive selections. He also has good size at 6-foot-5 to switch with Barnes and take some of the tougher wings in the league, allowing Barnes to be a disruptive roamer away from the ball. 

The knock on Thybulle has always been that as good as he is defensively, he's equally bad on offense. But he has very quietly turned into a good 3-point shooter, hitting 38.7 percent of his attempts since being moved to Portland. If that is real, then he is on a very gettable contract paying him $33 million over the next three years. 

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Stephen Noh is an NBA writer for The Sporting News.