The recent injury to point guard Kyle Lowry has had the Toronto Raptors looking for help in hopes to regain the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings, who are even eyeing a potential trade for Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal. However, while Beal would be quite the catch for the Raptors, the price for the marksman is far beyond reach, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News.
The Wizards reportedly want two first-round picks, a young player and another player in return for Beal, the only healthy player in their All-Star backcourt and the one with the most favorable contract.
For the Raptors to engage in a trade conversation, they would have to risk it all and potentially gut their roster and surrender some of their best young pieces to net Beal's services.
According to Deveney, parting with starting power forward Pascal Siakam could be in play, along with three-and-D forward OG Anunoby and two future first-round picks. The Raptors already owe this year’s pick to the San Antonio Spurs due to the Kawhi Leonard trade and they would have to persuade Washington to take a pick as far out as 2023 to make this trade work.
Beal could give them a potent scorer, a terrific three-point threat and a solid playmaker and defender but he's owed $25 million this season and $56 million over the next two — a price that could prove hefty and uncomfortable to log around when pursuing a max-level player like Leonard in free agency.
There's reward to every risk, though, and if reaching the NBA Finals and winning a championship is the only possible way to retain Leonard, the Raptors will have to at least consider the possibility of playing for the short-term or risk losing him after a one-year rental.
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