Sub-title: Is there a trade needed before Game One?
The news of the release of the NBA 2022-23 schedule, due Wednesday, is the spur for this post. After the Toronto Raptors’s long, too-early vacation following their first-round defeat in the playoffs, I’m been sparing in my work. However, it’s time to crank things up, and there’s no better time than silly season. Trade rumours are a growth industry this summer, largely spurred by the outrageous demand of Kevin Durant to be moved out of Brooklyn.
The monster swap of center Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves, in exchange for half that state’s Gross Domestic Product, has forever driven up the price to be extracted for a star player – or so the chattering class believes. Further speculation surrounds the fate of Utah’s superb shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. If the Jazz are going to “trust the process” (are you sure about this? are you sure you’re sure?), and tear down their team, Mitchell’s departure does indeed seem inevitable (I don’t always disagree with conventional wisdom).
Bleacher Report offers a trade proposal involving the Toronto Raptors. Zach Buckley suggests sending Gary Trent, Precious Achiuwa, Khem Birch, and three first-round draft picks to Salt Lake City. Let’s see how many ways I can say “Hell, No!” to this notion.
Leverage: it’s a beautiful thing when you’ve got it
Here’s how the conversation would go if I were Toronto head honcho Masai Ujiri, and Utah’s Danny Ainge (who know each other well from Ainge’s many years in Boston).
Me: Danny, I like Donovan Mitchell lots. What do you need?
DA: [as above]
Me: Here’s how many draft picks you’re getting from us – zero. Try again.
DA [knows he doesn’t have many bullets in his gun]: How about just the players, plus the rights to Christian Koloko, and some pick swaps?
Me: Forget Koloko. He’s going to be a Raptor for a long time. We don’t even have the skeleton of a trade, so discussing pick swaps or second-rounders makes no sense. As for the players: did you watch any Raptors games last season, particularly down the stretch when we went 14-4?
DA: Yeah, a few.
Me: Then you should have noticed what giant steps Precious made. He became a solid shooter from beyond the arc, his handle improved, he didn’t miss bunnies at the rate he did earlier. Precious could be next season’s Most Improved Player. He’s not going anywhere. And Gary was terrific for us all year, to a degree I never would have predicted.
DA: C’mon Masai. Somebody’s got to be available.
Me: Sure; Khem is on the block, and I’ll toss in Svi Myhailuk or Malachi Flynn to make salaries match. I’d even consider moving OG Anunoby. But you need to understand, Danny. I don’t have to do anything. My roster is deep; it contains both up-and-comers, and solid veterans. Three of my likely five starters have championship rings. I’ve got no bad contracts. If you think I’m getting into a bidding war for Donovan Mitchell, you’re sadly mistaken.
DA: OK…dinner’s on me next time you’re in town.
Me: That’s the only deal we’re making today. Good luck, Danny.
- Tags: Masai Ujiri, Toronto Raptors
