How would Masai cope with a worst-case scenario?
In Part One of this pair, I took a run at what the Toronto Raptors might do in the June 2024 NBA Draft. I assumed that the pick they must surrender to the San Antonio Spurs would not have to convey, due to the top-six exclusion written into the trade deal which returned Jakob Poeltl to our colours.
No more happy pills for us; let’s say the ping-pong balls don’t co-operate, and our first-round pick is revealed to be #8 (it doesn’t matter – as long as the pick is outside the top six, it’s gone). We’re down to two first-rounders, and those are likely to be very late, like #19 and #25 or even worse. The Indiana Pacers are almost sure to improve with the arrival of Pascal Siakam, which drives down the value of their pick to the late teens or early twenties. The least favourable condition on the other pick means it’s likely to become that of the high-flying OKC Thunder (what a future this team has – the next NBA dynasty, I say – and it might arrive as soon as this year’s post-season).
Two picks so late in the draft isn’t a strong enough tonic to get the Raptors rebuild rolling. I’m taking the position that Masai will not be satisfied with this situation. However, it’s hard to see how he can trade his way into the lottery, unless he can find something to excite the aforementioned Thunder. Charlotte ‘owns’ the Jazz’s first-rounder (#10?), but do they really need another youngster? It’s at this moment where the third first-rounder the Raptors received, which conveys in 2027, become interesting. Would the Thunder like that selection, plus the lesser of our two this draft, in exchange for the Utah slot? That would certainly be a conversation between Masai and OKC’s brilliant Sam Presti I’d enjoy hearing.
Who’s the dance partner?
If the scuttlebutt is true, namely that Masai isn’t done restructuring the roster (which doesn’t mean a deal is sure to get done; he’s notorious for wanting to trade rowboats for battleships), I’d advise Gary Trent to pack his bags. His 3-&-D skills may be enough to fetch a pick from OKC’s seemingly endless store, with an expiring contract coming to Toronto to make the money work.
The other likely trade partner is the perennially disappointing Charlotte Hornets. They made their first move by sending the excellent combo guard Terry Rozier to Miami, and have a lot of other ‘dead money’, most notably Gordon Hayward’s contract, to flush.
Anyway, we’re done guessing. To sum up, Masai seems to have drunk from the “Trust the Process” elixir bottle. As long as you don’t whiff on the selections, and the suits on the MLSE board are patient, that’s not a bad thing.
- Tags: Masai Ujiri, Toronto Raptors
