Windhorst Drops Huge Raptors Bomb!

The Raptors are searching for a Big Deal this Summer!

Nothing like an NBA ‘Trade Bomb’ to shake up a quiet Raptors fanbase, sitting back and enjoying the coming Finals games. That’s exactly what Brian Windhorst did on the latest Hoop Collective podcast. He coyly and somewhat reluctantly let out the scoop that NBA execs around the league are talking about aggressive trade talks coming from the Raptors. The Raptors??? They just made a ‘Big Move’ to get Brandon Ingram. They are already a bit into the tax and don’t like paying the tax.

Who’s Pushing the Raptors here to make moves?

This clearly looks like the work of Keith Pelley. The guy wants to win every year in sports. He wants to see his execs beating all the bushes, bringing all the potential moves available to full analysis. He certainly is willing to spend into the Tax if the team has a good opportunity to take a step forward in the league. So hearing the Raptors are looking to make Big moves is less of a surprise in the era of Pelley. No doubt Masai would like to prove he’s got more moves left in his tank as well and build a more serious championship level team in Toronto…even next year if possible!

What in the World is Masai up to???

Draft trade up?

I’ve recently wrote about the Raptors potential to trade up into the Top 3 in the Draft. I try not to waste my time because all this work is unpaid, so I didn’t write that article in a ‘vacuum’. There are rumblings about big draft moves and the Raptors have been ‘making waves’ when calling other teams. I put 2 and 2 together and decided to write a story about 4. It’s the job and I enjoy it obviously.

The scenarios I put out are certainly possible offerings. A lot of Raptor fans are putting out RJ Barrett’s name in trade moves. Most consider him ‘more expendable’. I didn’t and for very good reason. RJ and Scottie are viewed VERY differently by Raptors management. Scottie’s talent ceiling is considered higher, but his personality doesn’t bring the level of leadership RJ’s brings. Scottie impacts games more, but RJ forces action in the paint nicely. I see a difference of value opinions opening up between Raptors management and Raptors fans around Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett. Those differences tend to lead to ‘Big Surprises’ when managements make moves. Thus I did NOT put RJ Barrett in many trade scenarios. I believe everyone on the roster is available, but the league’s value of RJ is much lower than the Raptors value. With Scottie the reverse might be true.

Star Player Trades

While I think trades up in the Draft are more likely than some other possible moves, it clearly sounds like the Raptors are doing their ‘due diligence’ around any big Star that seems might be available this Summer. Let’s have a look at a few Masai has very likely called to talk about.

Giannis

There is no doubt whatsoever that Masai has talked to Giannis about coming to Toronto. Giannis wants input into player moves and he would likely trust Masai to give him meaningful input moving forward. I recently wrote about a potential Giannis trade, putting Ingram, Gradey and Agbaji with 2 first round picks going back to the Bucks. I don’t think Pelley would allow the young Barnes to leave for the older Giannis and turn the Raptors into a ‘All or Nothing’ team for the next 3 years. However many top market NBA teams act like this every year…the Lakers and Miami and Philly and the Suns and…..well there are a lot of them. Have Raptors management flipped the switch to become a ‘destination’ NBA team willing to spend into the tax every year??? How hot they pursue Giannis could very well tell you the answer to that question.

Kevin Durant

Nobody in Toronto is talking about Kevin Durant, but I promise you Masai has called the Phoenix Suns and asked what the price would be for KD. Given his age I yet again can’t see them willing to part with Scottie Barnes for the same reasons. The Suns have stated they want a Center as a priority in the trade, so Jakob Poeltl is a likely inclusion. Given the Suns are a second apron team you’re likely looking at a 3 way trade that moves the money around as needed and not all back to the Suns, but the Raptors could swing a Jak and RJ for KD trade. Seems like a lot to give up for a guy in the last year of his contract at 36 years old. Would KD extend at a more reasonable number to play a LeBron type role with a team for the next 3 or 4 years??? The question really is, would KD be interested in playing for Toronto? Despite him liking them when young, I suspect at this point in his career he might not be terribly interested. Anyway it sounds like Masai is in the conversation around KD in a somewhat serious way.

Trae Young

With last years ‘meh’ performance of Immanuel Quickley, Masai SHOULD be talking to the Hawks about what they want for the All Star Trae Young. While Trae’s defense doesn’t match a deep Raptors core value, the guy is a walking bucket getter. Beyond that he’s a passing Wizard and with Darko’s pass happy system management would certainly LOVE to have plays getting initiated by a Superstar like Trae for the rest of the team to feed off. Rumor is Trae got shopped last year and nobody was interested in his high price. That price might be lower now as the Hawks continue to shuffle the deck. While I don’t think a package of Quickley, Gradey and Agbaji are nearly good enough, the market isn’t great for Trae and that package might not be too far off. The Hawks might like Mogbo more than Agbaji but demand both. I won’t be surprised to hear the Raptors and Hawks are talking trade soon.

Zion

I doubt the Raptors are interested in Zion. They would have likely figured out a monster trade including him when they made the Brandon Ingram trade if they really wanted him. Especially with rape allegations hanging over his head now. However his impact on the court is stunning…when he’s on the court. It doesn’t hurt to call tho, right? Sounds like Masai might just be doing that in fact! The Pels would certainly be interested in Scottie Barnes for Zion, but I doubt the Raptors would be. That’s a lot of gamble and Scottie a valuable known commodity. Masai might try to sell them on a Zion and Missi for Jak and RJ trade. That’s probably closer to Zion’s value around the league right now. The Raptors could throw in some feel better second round picks. While I think RJ is valued highly by Raptors management the swap to Zion is certainly a higher on court performance ceiling with a loss of team leadership. If the Pels demand Scottie, like they should, I suspect the Raptors pass even with Missi added in the swap.

Markkanen

Lauri gets shopped every year it seems, so he must have enjoyed the time off from watching social media mock trades after he signed a new contract. That time is long over now, so prepare for more Lauri mock trades. Danny Ainge with the Jazz drives a terribly hard deal and Masai is known to do the same, so they aren’t typically great trade partners. However a big move between them might be possible. I doubt Ainge accepts anything less than Scottie, and that’s too much already for Masai. But if both teams also swapped Centers, turning the deal into Lauri + Kessler for Scottie and Jak…well now both teams might be a bit closer to something possible. I wouldn’t do it, but if the Raptors are looking for a Big Trade Lauri’s name should be considered.

Sabonis

The Kings crash and burn this year has led to an ‘everyone’s available’ type Summer and the Big Fish to catch is Domantas. A mini Jokic, the guy is a Stud but at 29 now he’s running out of time on the clock. Nothing short of Scottie Barnes would interest Sac Town tho, so a deal like Domantas and a second rd pick for Barnes and Mogbo is likely the starting point of the negotiation. I’m not sure the Kings want to move on from Domantas, but if they do I doubt they get anything better than Barnes. I highly doubt the Raptors make a move like this to get older and lose a Core player.

Smaller but more possible trades

Kuminga

Kuminga looks like he wants to finalize his long drawn out divorce from the Warriors. Age wise he fits the Raptors Core and his attacking style of play is prioritized in Toronto. He had a bad year last year and is an RFA now so needs a new contract. What he wants and what other NBA teams want to give him are likely 2 very different things. Masai likes to give short 2 + 1 player option deals to guys that think they can show more and Kuminga is exactly in that spot right now. His poor 3 pt shooting is a red flag however and anything over $20 mil per year is going to be a problem. I could see a Boucher Sign and Trade including Gradey Dick for Kuminga being pretty close money and talent wise. You know Golden State likes them pure shooters and Gradey defensive failures may have been enough for the Raptors to move on.

Mark Williams

The failed trade to LA and arrival of Nurk in Charlotte means the young big man is very likely going to get traded again very soon. The Raptors certainly have need as lineups without their starting Center get destroyed defensively. The Hornets are looking for a shooter and Gradey Dick sure has a lot of Run and Gun in him. It’s an intriguing consideration for both teams since Battle has shown amazing shooting ability to replace much of what Gradey currently can do but with a lower overall talent ceiling. Of course adding Williams is a Big move for a team constantly struggling at Center.

Summary

Masai is most certainly trying to land Giannis. There is some talk of KD and Giannis wanting to team up. That’s tough for any GM to swing both onto their team. Just the Giannis trade would likely leave the Raptors with too little talent to become serious Championship contenders. Remember the Bucks don’t have their picks and can’t start a Tank rebuild…so they need some good players in return and picks.

How likely is Masai to pull this off??? Well it seems Rogers and Pelley have given him the Green Light to go after Giannis. And he’s wanted him since before the Rookie Draft, so I’d say the odds might be almost 50 50 Masai gets Giannis. Most would call that crazy, but Masai really really admires Giannis and would sell anyone to get him. Will he overpay and leave the Raptors without enough assets to build around Giannis? Quite possibly. Unless Giannis forces the issue and publically says he wants only Toronto and reduces the return value.

The other trade targets are just likely window browsing and comparative shopping. How much are these big stars worth right now and comparing that value to what the Bucks want for Giannis. I included a couple smaller deals because I could certainly see the Raptors pulling off trades for both Williams and Kuminga. If they have lost some Gradey Dick love then there could be a deal to be had in both cases. I suspect there is a bit more realization in Raptors management of exactly what Gradey will be as a player…and what he won’t be. That last part, his defensive skills, being the crux of the decision.

Enjoy the NBA Finals!!! And expect the Trade Bombs to start dropping days afterwards…