Toronto Raptors Executive Admits Trade Talks Are Heating Up Around No. 9 Pick

As the draft board begins to take shape, the Toronto Raptors may be holding one of the most intriguing picks of the first round, and teams are lining up to try and get it.

Multiple organizations have shown interest in acquiring Toronto’s No. 9 pick ahead of Wednesday’s NBA Draft, with several hoping to move up into the top 10. The Raptors have taken calls about trading down and are keeping all options on the table depending on how things unfold, assistant general manager Dan Tolzman said Monday from the OVO Athletic Centre.

“There’s definitely interest in people trying to get our pick,” Tolzman said, as the front office continues to explore trade opportunities and weigh its options.

Toronto is preparing for several scenarios, both in terms of potential deals and how the draft board might look when they are on the clock. Around the league, there is a growing belief that eight players have begun to separate themselves at the top of the class. That group includes Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, and Kon Knueppel, Rutgers teammates Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, Texas guard Tre Johnson, Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears, and Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe.

While that list may seem fairly locked in from the outside, Tolzman cautioned that every team’s top eight looks different. The lines between who goes in the top eight, who falls into the next tier, and who might be available later are unclear. Toronto is still in the process of finalizing its own rankings, and the front office sees a fairly large group of players in that next range as viable targets. That flexibility could allow the Raptors to consider moving down if they are confident the players they like will still be available.

Tolzman said the team’s internal meetings this week are focused on not just deciding what to do at No. 9, but also setting the board in a way that prepares them for how the rest of the night could unfold. If prospects they value highly begin to slide, Toronto wants to be in a position to take advantage of that.

Even after falling from No. 7 to No. 9 in the lottery, the Raptors remain confident in the talent available in their range. Tolzman described the 2025 class as strong and deeper than recent years, particularly when it comes to players who are ready to contribute right away.

That type of immediate impact fits Toronto’s current timeline. After acquiring Brandon Ingram at the trade deadline, the Raptors appear focused on retooling around Scottie Barnes and competing in the near term. A new addition at No. 9 would join a core that also includes Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, and Gradey Dick.

The front office is keeping its options open. If the right trade materializes, Toronto is willing to move. If not, they believe they are in a good position to land a quality player. Either way, the Raptors are shaping up to be one of the more active and influential teams on draft night.

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