Toronto Raptors trade rumors: Raptors look to trade Ross for Noel

Adding their name to the Nerlens Noel sweepstakes are the Toronto Raptors as they try to lure the Philadelphia 76ers to give up one of their big men.

At the moment, the Raptors are on top of the Atlantic Division with a 3-1 record, but they obviously want to strengthen all their positions. They might see the center spot as a place where they can improve.

To make things better, rumors are now circulating that the Raptors are hoping to land Noel. In return, they are ready to give up shooting guard Terrence Ross. This could work out for both teams as the Sixers have a lot of big men who are expected to flourish down the road.

Along with Noel, Jahlil Okafor and Joel Embiid are in the lineup, with Embiid currently doing well and may lock in the most minutes among the three.

With that going for them, the Sixers may need to strengthen their other positions. Adding Ross will give them speed and scoring in the guard spot.

Ross can definitely add some firepower to the Sixers if he joins the group. He currently averages 9.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. He sees limited minutes due to other shooting guards in the Raptors, but he is still very talented and can be a focal part of a team that needs him.

Ross has spent his entire career with the Raptors and this season his playing time has dwindled due to excellent play from DeMar DeRozan. If DeRozan continues his pace, Ross is likely to stay on the sideline for extended periods which can make him surplus for the Raptors.

It is also possible that they use Ross as trade bait so they can acquire Noel and fill in the void in having a two-way center occupy the middle.