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As the Toronto Raptors are rumored to go big fish hunting for a star this offseason, the one player connected to most teams is Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo. While some have already theorized a Raptors trade for Antetokounmpo, the latest report could highlight that a partnership could be welcomed if it comes to that.
After another disappointing season for Toronto, team president Masai Ujiri seems to want to make a big splash this summer with the Milwaukee big man at the forefront of speculation. There is “mutual interest” between Antetokounmpo and Toronto, though the “cost” could be tricky in regards to a trade, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star.
“I don’t know if it will happen, but I do know there is mutual interest between Antetokounmpo and the Raptors,” Smith wrote. “The wild card is the cost.”
“But I also think the Raptors are uniquely placed to make an attractive offer that won’t ruin their franchise or roster,” Smith continued. “I would make the case that a logjam at the wings makes them deep enough that if they had to pay even two out of Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Ja’Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett, Jonathan Mogbo would still leave enough to fill out a pretty good team with promising young players still developing. Plus, they have all their picks, so giving a first-rounder every year for, say, four years, leaves enough.”
Raptors are looking for a “big fish”
With the Raptors looking to improve this offseason, Antetokounmpo would no doubt help tremendously, but as said in the report, the shots are “long,” but the price for a deal “isn't too bad” since there are young players to put in a trade, as Smith listed. This summer could be a prime opportunity to improve since the East is known to be weaker than the West, and with the Boston Celtics, some figure the conference is ripe for the taking.
The first hearing about the Raptors looking to make a splash came from ESPN's Brian Windhorst on “The Hoop Collective” show.
“I don't want to get too far afield from this, but since this has come up, the Raptors are a team that is starting to make noise within the league about looking for a big fish,” Windhorst said to Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon. “If you're an Eastern Conference team that's in the middle of the pack, you're looking at the teams in front of you going, ‘Some of them may not be able to come together, may be able to stay together.”
“Boston is hurt, and so there are some teams that sniff the ability to make a move, and I think Toronto is one of those teams,” Windhorst continued. “And so naturally, any team that wants to make a move this summer, especially a team in the Eastern Conference, you're going to have Giannis on the board.”
At any rate, Toronto is looking to bounce back after having a 30-52 record, which put them 11th in the East.
