Raptors as Sellers, Part 1: Trade Returns for Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr.

Looking at the Raptors’ position in the standings, the number of contenders in the league, it’s easy to conclude that the Raptors are the best fit to punt this season. Given the value proposition, that’s probably right. With far more teams than usual able to justify a playoff spot this year, the Raptors are 11th in the East going into the second half, not to mention the top 5 teams in the conference. It is one level below. of an additional five teams between these contenders and the Raptors. Even if they are 26-15 in the second half, they still have a chance of making it to the play-in tournaments.

The Raptors will have some of the most desirable targets in what increasingly looks like a seller’s market if they decide to make some of their best players available. Teams had a tough time packing it in by February, but the league’s four truly awful teams — Houston, San Antonio, Detroit, and Charlotte — aren’t brimming with talent to trade. Plays a big role in a good team. If the Raptors make Pascal Siakam available, depending on what they think of Bradley Beal and DeMar DeRozan, he could be the best player on the market.OG Anunoby is the best of his 3- and-D wing. Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. could start or play a big role as the candidate’s third guard. No other team of potential sellers can offer so much to a good team.

But what will the seller look like? Whether it’s a deliberate one-year setback for him (unlike Tampa Tank) or a complete overhaul (trading Siakam and all three of his other mentioned 2 or 3), Leading to a multi-year restructuring centered around Scotty Barnes and future lottery picks. It is helpful to know what parts may be available to expedite either process.

I don’t think the Raptors will trade four players until the end of January. That said, I thought it would be a useful exercise in understanding what the market could bring.

Note: These are not all the trades I would make if I were in charge of the Raptors. I tried to err on the side of asking for less instead of asking for more in my hypothetical trades, but that idea gives you a sense of what the potential returns of the Raptors’ core piece look like. (And, importantly, these should help show that expectations are unreasonable.) We are looking at these deals in a vacuum rather than making decisions based on

Today we start with VanVleet and Trent. Because both are in a similar contract situation. (Unlike Trent, VanVleet was able to sign a contract extension with the Raptors before this offseason.) Anunoby and Siakam will arrive tomorrow.

Fred VanVleet

(VanVleet is making $21.25 million this season and has a $22.82 million player option in 2023-24.)

VanVleet is big on the court and culturally for the Raptors. Some separation of ourselves from the second part is important, but not perfect. Leadership is important to any team and VanVleet plays a huge role within the organization.

If you’re the Raptors, you need to get ahead of his free agency and know what you want to invest in VanVleet’s early 30s. I was. This was because they were looking to put together a championship team and lost Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka the following offseason. (Antetokounmpo immediately signed a contract extension with the Bucks.)

This team has no such concerns. They are not championship contenders and the front office is not currently trying to create cap space. VanVleet’s absence may help create cap space in the long run, but moving him won’t help add players to free agency in the short term — at least by itself. Prior to this run, Masai Ujiri was known for clinging to his players even on sub-optimal salaries so as not to lose them pointlessly.

Even in a terrible year of filming, VanVleet is still making a positive impact on the Raptors. You will need good assets.

To Magic: VanVleet and Khem Birch (2 years, $13.65 million left)
To Raptors: Cole Anthony (2 years, $9.15 million remaining, likely RFA in 2024), Mo Bamba (2 years, $20.6 million), Terrence Ross (1 year, $11.5 million) , and Top 8 protected 2023 first round picks

Magic Perspective: This has to be a no for Magic. Orlando is not a free agency destination, and the way the Magic break through this restructuring is through a good draft and deals with prime free agents under contract. VanVleet is prime, but he certainly exercises that player’s options. Magic cannot risk a pick, even a protected one, if the commodity they are trading is not certain. Joe Verdon

To the Lakers: VanVleet
To Raptors: Patrick Beverly (1 year, $13 million), Kendrick Nunn (1 year, $5.25 million), Max Christie (2 years, $2.74 million, 2024 RFA), 1st round in 2027 right to nominate

Lakers take: yes. VanVleet’s (relatively) downseason, especially as a three-point shooter, would give the Lakers pause. VanVleet clearly doesn’t address the needs of the latter, but if it returns to the carrier’s shooting standards, it can address the former. Regardless, he still ranks well on the all-in-one metric, and I think the talent upgrade (basically VanVleet’s Beverly when it comes to the actual rotation element) is important enough for the Lakers to say yes to the offer. increase. – Jovan Buha

To Mavericks: VanVleet
To Raptors: Josh Green (2 years, $7.86 million), Davis Bertans (3 years, $49 million, includes 2024-25 player option), 2025 first-round pick

Mavericks take: Dallas isn’t expected to trade a first-round pick or a young player like Green this season. The front office understands that he needs to save ammunition for a big move in the next year or two. This is not a deal to tempt them. According to NBA.com, VanVleet will help the Mavericks, but he doesn’t fit into their timeline and isn’t offering the defensive upgrade they want for the 23rd-ranked defense. Tim Cato

Gary Trent Jr. (Mark Brinch/Getty Images)

Gary Trent Jr.

(Trent will make $17.51 ​​million this year, with $18.56 million in player options for 2023-24.)

Trent turns 24 this offseason, but compared to VanVleet’s 29, he should theoretically be more attractive in the free agency market and more attractive to the Raptors. However, he is not as complete a player as his VanVleet, nor is his resume impressive.

Given the strangeness of the Raptors’ past three seasons, it’s still hard to say whether Trent will perform better as a starter or as the sixth man on a good team. Despite his limited track record, he clearly has the skill set to be a good scoring-minded guard in the NBA. he’s already proven it.

The league craves a little more size and defensive flexibility from the starting wing. But Trent has improved since his early days with the Raptors, especially for a team that appreciates generating turnovers, and he has room to grow. Trent can help some of the underscoring contenders, and similar to VanVleet, the team that acquires him also gets the right to his bard, which helps keep him in free agency.

To the Knicks: Trent
To Raptors: Derrick Rose (1 year, $14.52 million, 2023-24 team option), Immanuel Quickley (2 years, $6.49 million, RFA in 2024), Mavericks/Knicks 2023 1 Worse than a round pick

Knicks view: I don’t think the Knicks are doing this, especially with the way Quickley is starting to turn it on. He’s become New York’s best team defender on the perimeter. Also a shooter. he can be hot But I’m not sure that’s what the Knicks need. Especially considering he could be on loan if he chooses not to get his option as a player this summer. Quickley, meanwhile, is still on a one-and-a-half-year rookie deal. — Fred Katz

To Clippers: Trent
To Raptors: Terrance Mann (3-year, $23.9 million), Luke Kennard (2-year, $28.51 million, 2024-25 team option), 2028 first-round pick

Clippers take: It will be funny to see Trent coming to LA after being traded to the Raptors for 2019 NBA champion and current Clipper Norman Powell. Trent is 6-foot-5 and live in LA he’ll give the ball he’s the type of defender who forces turnovers. Trent is decent he’s 3 points he’s a shooter and a strong finisher. But this is too much for him to give up a player who could become a free agent in 2023. in a team. The Clippers also shouldn’t give up their first-round pick when they’ve already paid Oklahoma City in a Paul George trade. — Law Murray

To the Lakers: Trent and Juancho Hernangomez (1 year, $1.84 million)
To the Raptors: Beverly, Nunn, Christie and a 2027 Top 8 Protected 1st Round Pick

Lakers take: Maybe. I think the Lakers will probably do this, depending on what else they have. But either they refuse to include Christie, who is high in the long run, or they’ll fight to protect the lottery pick for 2027. Trent Jr. has his 3-point shot, perimeter his defense , which increases overall attack power, but is still on the smaller side of the wing. They need more of someone in the 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-9 range. (Author’s note: It’s a shame the Raptors don’t have one like that.) Given the All-Star pedigree, I think they would prefer VanVleet alone or a bigger deal like the next one. — Buha

let’s get wild

To the Lakers: VanVleet, Trent, Chris Boucher (3 years, $35.25 million)
To Raptors: Russell Westbrook (1 year, $47.06 million), Christie, 1st-round pick in 2027 and 2029

Lakers take: yes. I think the trade ticks multiple boxes for the Lakers, bringing in All-Star talent (VanVleet), adding 3-point shooting (Trent Jr.) and size/length in the frontcourt (Boucher). They’re turning Westbrook into his two good starters and a solid bench his big. Having two first-round picks is obviously a lot of money, but if they were entertaining a package of Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, I think the deal could be just as impactful. — Buha

(Top photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)