The Toronto Raptors are in a very precarious position. The only Canadian team in the NBA won 48 games last season and ended 5th in the conference. However, they were also eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Philadelphia 76ers in six games. It is clear that their current core will not be enough to get them over the line. In terms of what they can do, there are many ways that the management of the team, led by GM Bobby Webster and VP Masai Ujiri, can help out. Here are two moves the Raptors still must make after the first weekend of the 2022 NBA free agency.
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Moves Raptors Must Make In 2022 NBA Free Agency
Throw everything and the kitchen sink for Kevin Durant
As mentioned above, the current core of the Raptors is not enough for them to be legitimate contenders. They will be a good team and if they are lucky enough with their seeding, the Raptors might even win a playoff series. However, no one's luck is that good and the best this Raptors team can do is a second-round appearance. However, there is a certain unhappy superstar in Brooklyn named Kevin Durant. Let's not forget that, out of the blue, the Raptors brought Kawhi Leonard from the Spurs in 2018, leading them to the title in 2019. He did end up leaving, that part is true, but the situation with Durant is different in that regard.
Leonard arrived to the Raptors on a one-year deal, while Durant would be tied to the Canadian franchise for the next four. This would give them a lot of time to try different things with the roster, as the first edition of it might not work with Durant. Also, Leonard arrived with championship experience, something Durant has as well. Lastly, Durant would arrive to a younger squad than the edition of the Raptors roster Leonard arrived to. VanVleet, Siakam, and Scottie Barnes, to name a few, are all young stars in this league and should be there as a great incentive for Durant to call Toronto his home.
Of course, it would take a lot of assets to bring KD to Canada. The Raptors, thankfully, have all of their first-rounders available, together with some interesting youngsters. They can also add guys like Gary Trent Jr and Chris Boucher as salary fillers, but the Nets would likely want Scottie Barnes as part of the package as well. It would be a monster move and one that would not be all that uncommon for Toronto, but the Raptors have a choice. Either trade for Kevin Durant or another superstar, or remain a mediocre team for the next few years.
Trade OG Anunoby and picks for a third star
Now, the term star used here is a fairly broad one. It is a term that includes the likes of Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet as stars, but in all fairness, they are great players. However, neither are the best players on a championship squad, and Scottie Barnes does not have that kind of potential. They could go in the direction of blowing everything up, but it would be hard for Raptors fans and the front office to let go of the continued success the franchise has had over the few years, with the exception of 2021 and the year they spent in Tampa Bay. If they do not want to go in that direction, rather going for a mini-rebuild, the Raptors should do everything to trade Anunoby and their collection of picks.
The biggest issue here is what could be landed for a few first-rounders and a young player like Anunoby. The most obvious answer right now is Donovan Mitchell, but one more player would have to be involved to match salaries and it is really questionable whether it would be worth it. There is a possibility to go in the direction of Kyrie Irving as well, but overpaying for a player with just one year on his deal is not a good deal, especially for a player that could lose focus on basketball really easily.
However, the Raptors should be optimistic. They have Anunoby for three years and on a team-friendly deal in terms of salaries. If they miss the Durant sweepstakes, they can always hold on to everything and hope that a star becomes available in the near future. The reality is that Anunoby is their best trade asset, not counting those guys the franchise is unwilling to deal, like Barnes. If they see a star become available that can be brought in by offering Anunoby and picks, they should pounce and hope it is enough for a championship.
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