The Toronto Raptors have been one of the many surprise narratives early into the NBA season, as while many expected the reigning champs to fall off following the departure of Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, they now sit at 14-4 as the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
As great of a start as this team has had, they could use some more playoff experience once they start for playoffs.
Andre Iguodala can bring that playoff experience, as the veteran forward has 145 games of playoff experience, averaging 10.7 points per game and 4.8 total rebounds a game to go along with shooting 35.3 percent from three and providing excellent defense on the opposing end.
The Raptors have been rumored to be interested in a trade for Iguodala, and as Zack Buckley outlined on Bleacher Report in a recent article, Toronto can make the trade happen if they are willing to give up Norman Powell, Patrick McCaw, and a top-20 protected first round pick in 2020.
If they have a legitimate shot at defending their crown, why not make an aggressive move to assist that effort? Buying big on Andre Iguodala—while other contenders wait for a buyout agreement that may never come—could make this long, versatile, intelligent group even longer, more versatile and more intelligent. They couldn't make this move before Dec. 15, so they should have a clearer view of their ceiling by then.
While Iguodala's offensive game has been on the decline over the last few seasons, his defense is undoubtedly still impressive, and pairing him along a Toronto defense alongside Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby-who already have the ninth-best defensive rating in the NBA-would give the Raptors a flexible defense with lengthy athletes who can guard all positions on the court.
That positional flexibility is crucial come playoff time, when defenses lock in and teams have to deal with foul trouble when throwing defenders at some of the NBA's elite giants in Giannis Antetoukounmpo and Joel Embiid.
Additionally, Norman Powell's trade value has never been better. Due to an injury to Kyle Lowry, he has seen more playing time in the back court alongside Fred Van Vleet.
He has done the most with his increased opportunities, as he has posted career highs this season in scoring average (12.7), total rebounding average (3.8) and free-throw percentage (85 percent).
Nearly doubling the amount of minutes per game he got his last season, Powell has proven that he can be a solid starting guard in the NBA. In the Raptor's most recent win against the Orlando Magic, Powell led the team in scoring with 33 points thanks to five made threes.
In addition to adding Powell to their young back court, the Grizzlies would also acquire Patrick McCaw, as if he can get healthy following his November knee surgery, he can provide Memphis with a solid mix of length, playmaking and defensive ability to go along with championship pedigree.
This is a trade that could put Toronto in the driver's seat to repeat as the Eastern Conference representative in the NBA Finals, as Iguodala gives them a veteran 3-and-D presence whose passing ability can elevate an already-talented Raptor offense.
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