The flashiest option for the Toronto Raptors this season is to make a big trade, but do any of the “big fish” on the market fit their goals and current players?
The Toronto Raptors have some roster problems, as we discussed in part 1 of this series. If they want to return to being playoff contenders, there are some personnel issues to address. Namely, there is no “top-tier superstar” on this roster, and while the other pieces of the puzzle are talented, a lot of them have similar skills. Most of the Raptors’ players operate best with the ball in their own hands, creating chances for themselves.
After thinking about some options, here is what I think the Raptors could do this offseason to make themselves a stronger team immediately:
- Keep their No. 9 Draft pick, hope they draft well, bank on internal development and take the long-term approach to building this team.
- Trade down the draft for a veteran or multiple first-round picks, while also betting on internal development.
- Go “big fish hunting” and try and trade for a superstar, hope history repeats itself.
Let’s dive into these options one by one, starting with the flashy option: trading for a superstar. Four MVP-calibre players are rumoured to be available this summer.
Kevin Durant — Phoenix Suns
Online speculations are attaching Kevin Durant to the Toronto Raptors. Trading for Durant might be one of the dumbest ideas I’ve heard in a long time, given where this Raptors team currently is, personnel-wise.
I still think Durant is going to be a Hall of Famer, going down as one of the best scorers in the history of the game. He’s also 37 years old, has missed an average of nearly 30 games over the last five seasons, and before that, missed an entire season due to a torn Achilles. He also didn’t make the All-Star team last season while on the disappointing Phoenix Suns team that didn’t make the playoffs. He has a history of burning bridges, and I wouldn’t even consider him MVP-calibre anymore.
To make matters worse, Durant has only a year left on his contract, meaning that the Raptors would likely have only one season to win a Championship (since Toronto is not on his list of destinations). When they traded for Kawhi, the team had made the playoffs five years in a row, making it past the first round the previous three seasons. They were playoff veterans, but had hit their ceiling. Half of the current roster has never even played a playoff game before. And from the rumours, some of the players who have played more than one playoff series would be headed back to Phoenix in any trade for Durant.
In the right situation, Durant would be a good addition, but the Raptors are not that situation.
Jaylen Brown — Boston Celtics
While Brown is not an MVP-calibre player, he won a Finals MVP, made an All-NBA 2nd team and three All-Star teams. He would also immediately become the best player on the Raptors and probably wouldn’t be as pricey as some of the actual superstars that might be available.
If Brown is available, then it’s likely that trading for him wouldn’t require sending out Scottie Barnes. The problem is that while Brown wouldn’t cost as much as others, just to match his salary would require the Raptors losing what little depth they have, and Brown frankly isn’t good enough to make up for that. Plus, Brown’s inconsistent three-point shooting would make him and Scottie an awkward pairing.
Giannis Antetokounmpo — Milwaukee Bucks
While online speculation claims that Giannis might not be available this summer, he another superstar linked to the Raptors. Unlike Durant, Giannis is still in his prime and has finished in the top 5 for MVP voting for the last 7 seasons (winning it twice) and just turned 30 six months ago.
Masai has been enamoured with Giannis since before he was drafted and even tried to trade their way back into the 2013 draft to grab him, but was unsuccessful.
Interestingly, Bryan Colangelo traded the pick away to Houston in a deal for Kyle Lowry, who would end up becoming arguably the greatest Raptor of all time. Then that pick was traded to Oklahoma City, and Masai unsuccessfully tried to make a deal to get it back. That pick was No. 12 overall, and Giannis went No. 15, so if they had kept their pick, Giannis would have become a Raptor that night.
On the surface, trading for Giannis seems like the ideal scenario. He would be the superstar the Raptors lack, and with the East projected to be fairly weak, a Giannis-led Raptors team would have an easier path to the Finals than they did when they won their title in 2019.
There are negatives to trading for Giannis, however.
First off, while Giannis is still in his prime, he will turn 31 next season, and his game relies on speed and athleticism. NBA players are certainly playing longer than they used to. LeBron is still a top ten player at 40, Steph is 37, but they are outliers.
Let’s say the Raptors trade for Giannis, and he has three more prime years left. Unlike when the Raptors traded for Kawhi, Giannis needs to be surrounded by three-point shooters. Unfortunately, the Raptors don’t have very many good three-point shooters.
The fact is that the Raptors’ roster isn’t a great fit for Giannis. The Bucks would likely demand Gradey and possibly Ochai in any trade for Giannis, along with several draft picks. If the Raptors trade for Giannis, there is a possible future where they struggle to surround him with the right players before he starts declining.
Ja Morant — Memphis Grizzlies
Of all the superstars on this list, Ja Morant is the one I would probably be the least opposed to the Raptors getting in a trade. Yes, there are major negatives to Morant, not including what he’s done off the court. He’s not a great shooter, and he’s never come close to playing an entire season because of injuries.
That said, several positives might put Morant at the front of the line for the Raptors. First, he’s just 25, which puts him on the same timeline as the rest of Toronto’s players, especially Scottie Barnes.
If Memphis does decide to move him (a big if), then I don’t think the Raptors would have that much competition to get him. Outside of the Raptors, there aren’t any teams with the need or desire to go after a guy like Morant. There would certainly be questions about how Morant would fit with the current roster, but the Raptors would have some time to figure that out.
Would a package that included Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick and a first round pick (or two if need be) be enough to get him? I guess that all depends on how much Memphis wants to move on from him.
In the next part, I’ll discuss the other options the Raptors have this offseason and what they can do if they don’t hook a “big fish” this offseason.