Report: Raptors' desire to re-sign Patterson could prevent Millsap deal

After watching the Cleveland Cavaliers unofficially kick off the trade season on Thursday by acquiring sharpshooter Kyle Korver, it may only be a matter of time before the Toronto Raptors counter with a move of their own.

While Toronto certainly has the assets available to acquire an impact player like Paul Millsap, there are still a couple stumbling blocks that may prevent a deal, according to The Vertical's Shams Charania and Adrian Wojnarowski.

First, the 31-year-old is expected to opt out of his player option for next season, meaning the Raptors will likely need to shell out close to $30 million annually to keep him long term. Second, Toronto is intent on re-signing power forward Patrick Patterson this offseason - a player that the Hawks would likely covet in a potential swap.

Related: Should the Raptors trade for Millsap if the price is right?

While Patterson's counting stats are far from exceptional, his tenacious on-ball defense and ability to spread the floor make him one of the Raptors' most valuable players. With Patterson on the court, the Raptors have a net rating of plus-14.8. Without him, they are merely an average team, posting a net rating of 0.4.

Given that the Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings have reportedly also shown interest in Millsap, general manager Masai Ujiri may need to decide quickly whether he's willing to part with some of his assets in order to acquire the three-time All-Star.