The Toronto Raptors are expected to make a splashy move this offseason, and recent speculation suggests they will try and get a third team involved.
The Toronto Raptors, sensing that the Eastern Conference is wide open, are expected to make a splashy trade this offseason. They have been linked to ‘big fish’ like Giannis Antetokounmpo, although the Raptors could add a variety of established talents.
RJ Barrett is set to make $27.7 million next season and is under contract until 2026-27, making him an enticing asset for the Raptors to send out in a possible trade.
However, Toronto might dangle Barrett to a rebuilding team, looping in a third franchise to add their star.
Photo by Cole Burston/Getty ImagesRJ Barrett linked to Portland Trail Blazers
In an effort to add win-now talent from teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, and Phoenix Suns, the Raptors could offer Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, Emmanuel Quickley, or draft picks.
However, in a hypothetical deal for Durant, the Suns have made it clear that they want high-level, win-now talent in return. Toronto is unlikely to entertain trading Scottie Barnes or Brandon Ingram, so looping in a third team makes sense.
The Portland Trail Blazers, who are trying to build around youngsters Donovan Clingan, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe, could use an outside scoring punch, and Barrett certainly fits their timeline. According to the offshore sportsbook Bovada, they are the favorites to land Barrett in a trade this offseason.
The Blazers have several win-now role players on their books who could help a team like the Suns compete even after trading Durant away, and the Raptors build a win-win-win for all three teams involved.
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While Durant did not list the Raptors as an ideal landing spot, the Suns will simply ship him off to the highest bidder. The Raptors have a track record of trading for players with only one season left on their contract and winning a title, and a core of Barnes, Quickley, Ingram, Durant, and Poeltl should be able to compete in the East.
Of course, “big fish” like Giannis are still out there, but until Antetokounmpo demands a trade, the assumption is that he will stay in Milwaukee.
The Suns need defense and off-ball players to complement Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, and Jerami Grant seems like a solid option. Plus, his contract lines up with Beal’s, giving the Suns some future financial flexibility.
The Raptors can offer Barrett and picks to the Trail Blazers, and picks to the Suns, to get Durant and re-route Grant to the Suns. Of course, with the Suns being a second-apron team, other, smaller pieces will have to be added to the trade in order to balance the books, although there is a path for the Raptors to conduct a three-team deal.
The general framework outlined above would work for a multitude of stars, and if Toronto wants to make a surprise bid for a different player, they certainly have the means to do it.