Trey Murphy emerges as a Raptors trade target after a statement game
trey murphy is being discussed as an offseason trade target for the Toronto Raptors after a strong performance against them, with the idea framed as a way to add shooting and offensive dynamism. As of 3: 10 PM ET on March 14, 2026, the Raptors are being linked in outside trade-target talk to multiple perimeter shooters rather than a traditional big-man upgrade. The central tension is clear: Toronto wants to get better quickly, but the roster and asset realities could make any major swing complicated.
Trade-target talk centers on shooting help, not a big
The Raptors are expected to explore ways to improve in the offseason, and trade-market activity is positioned as a likely path. In a set of proposed offseason targets, three names were highlighted as fits primarily because they can shoot from three: Trey Murphy III, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Michael Porter Jr. The common thread is notable—none are bigs—even though upgrading at that position has been a stated area the Raptors have been looking to address.
The same target list also underscored an uncomfortable offseason obstacle for Toronto: there is limited representation of Raptors players as attractive trade targets, suggesting fewer obvious pieces that other teams would be eager to acquire. That dynamic can narrow options and raise the cost of landing a higher-impact shooter, especially if multiple teams are shopping in the same market.
Trey Murphy and the Pelicans angle: performance, fit, and the price
One proposed pathway specifically connects Toronto to New Orleans again after the Raptors previously acquired Brandon Ingram from the Pelicans a little more than a year ago. The argument for adding Trey Murphy III is tied to offense—particularly floor spacing and the way his on-ball and off-ball pull could open the half-court for Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and the rest of the group. Dan Favale, writer, described the pursuit as expensive in draft capital but framed it as manageable because Toronto has all of its own first-round picks.
The urgency around this idea also stems from what Toronto just saw firsthand: Murphy posted 28 points on 8-of-12 shooting with seven rebounds in the game highlighted in the trade discussion. At the same time, the proposal acknowledges the obvious hurdle—after that kind of performance, it is difficult to imagine New Orleans wanting to move him, especially with the Pelicans said to be building around him as a key part of what they want to do.
A separate concept floated for making the math work points to offering multiple first-round picks with RJ Barrett’s salary as a base for a deal. But even in that framing, there is a warning for Toronto: adding a major contract could further reduce flexibility at a time when the core already includes Barnes, Ingram, Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl.
Other options on the board, and why Toronto’s roster complicates talks
Toronto’s broader target mix includes Nickeil Alexander-Walker, presented as a player who could “move the needle” and help the Raptors climb the standings. One evaluation points to his contract—three years, $45. 5 million remaining—as a favorable deal relative to his offensive strides, with the caveat that his shooting could regress. The same view still pegs him as a helpful spacer and someone who can pressure the defense. On the court this season with Atlanta, Alexander-Walker is averaging a career-high 20 points per game and shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc, a profile positioned as backcourt “juice” next to Quickley and a way to help offset Barnes’ offensive limitations.
But any trade conversation is shaped by the perception that there are not many Raptors pieces other teams are eager to trade for. Two Raptors were mentioned as targets for other teams: Gradey Dick (for the Pelicans) and Collin Murray-Boyles (for the Kings). The discussion around Dick suggests Toronto could at least entertain offers given he fell out of the rotation for a while and still struggles to hit threes, while Murray-Boyles is characterized as someone it would take a “pretty great offer” to move.
What’s next for Toronto—and where trey murphy fits
Toronto still has time to try to climb out of the play-in tournament, but the team’s issues have been laid out bluntly: struggles against good teams, a middling offense that can fall apart in the fourth quarter, and difficulty hitting threes. After being quiet at the trade deadline—moving Ochai Agbaji to the Brooklyn Nets and bringing in Trayce Jackson-Davis, who has not played much yet—the offseason is now framed as the window to reshape the roster around Barnes and Ingram.
The next developments to watch will be whether Toronto chooses to prioritize perimeter shooting over a big-man upgrade, and how aggressive it gets with draft assets if it decides to chase a premium floor-spacer. In that debate, trey murphy remains the name carrying the most immediate heat—attached to a recent standout showing against the Raptors and to a high-cost, high-impact vision of how Toronto could change its offense.
