East Round 1 Preview: (3) Toronto Raptors vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets

Kyle Lowry's biggest national moment this year was a trade rumor involving the Knicks. But that's about to change.

By Jeremy Conlin (@jeremy_conlin)

By the Numbers:

Toronto:
48-34 (26-15 Home; 22-19 Road)
PPG: 101.3 (13th); PPG Allowed: 98.0 (7th)
+3.2 Average Scoring Margin (9th)
Off Rating: 105.8 (9th); Def Rating: 102.4 (9th)
+3.5 Net Efficiency Rating (T-8th)

Brooklyn:
44-38 (28-13 Home; 16-25 Road)
PPG: 98.5 (21st); PPG Allowed: 99.5 (11th)
-1.0 Average Scoring Margin (19th)
Off Rating: 104.4 (14th); Def Rating: 104.9 (19th)
-0.5 Net Efficiency Rating (17th)

Season Series: Tied 2-2
Brooklyn 102, Toronto 100 (November 26)
Toronto 96, Brooklyn 80 (January 11)
Toronto 104, Brooklyn 103 (January 27)
Brooklyn 101, Toronto 97 (March 10)

The Raptor Rebuild: How the Rudy Gay Trade Affects Toronto

The Raptors have parted ways with Rudy Gay, but what lies next at the Air Canada Centre?

By Bennett Corcoran

On Sunday evening, the Toronto Raptors sent swingman Rudy Gay, center Aaron Gray, and forward Quincy Acy to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Greivis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, Chuck Hayes, and John Salmons. This represents the second trade that new GM Masai Ujiri has executed after replacing Bryan Colangelo this summer, previously shipping Andrea Bargnani to the New York Knicks for a 2016 first rounder and second round picks in 2014 and 2017.

Acting without hesitation, Ujiri is turning overpriced multi-year deals into expiring contracts. Patterson and Vasquez are both expiring and could be flipped again before the trade deadline, while Salmons' contract is non-guaranteed next season. Assuming Gay opts in, Acy’s option is picked up, and Salmons is released, the Raptors free up a little over $14 million in this swap for next season, and about $8 million from the Bargnani deal.