The Toronto Raptors have already made one of the biggest moves of the offseason. They decided to trade for Kawhi Leonard in a trade that still hasn’t officially gone through. That trade is being held up based on the potential findings in the Aspiration investigation.
If that trade goes through, Toronto believes they already have a contending team. However, a trade proposal from Bleacher Report would see them add All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving to further improve their odds of contending in a stacked Eastern Conference.
GettyDallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving shoots the ball in a game. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Trade Proposal Sees Raptors Add Kyrie Irving
Here is the full trade idea:
Toronto Raptors receive: Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks receive: Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter and a 2028 first-round pick (top-five protected)
Irving is fully healthy after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. Instead of coming back midway through the season, Irving opted to take the entire season to recover. He is one of the most popular trade pieces in the NBA at the moment.
Adding him for Quickley and Walter would be a steal. While Irving has injury concerns of his own, Quickley has played just 141 games out of a possible 246 since he started playing for the Raptors. His unreliability at the point guard spot is a major issue.
Switching him out for Irving would be a major victory for them. Shipping out a top-five protected pick is a price that is well worth the possibility of making a deep playoff run. The Raptors haven’t won a playoff series since the 2019-20 season, which was the year after Leonard left the team.
Of course, this trade doesn’t make sense to do unless Leonard does become a member of the Raptors. If the NBA decides to void his contract or punish Toronto in any way, it wouldn’t make as much sense for them to bring in Irving. Scottie Barnes is still the face of the franchise.
GettyLos Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard drives the ball in a game. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Toronto Is in a Holding Pattern While Aspiration Investigation Continues
The Raptors have some trade pieces left, but not very many after the Leonard trade. The entire organization is in a holding pattern until this investigation is wrapped up. Some reports indicate that the investigation might not get finished until 2027, which would be a huge problem for Toronto.
If that is the case, they would have to decide if they want to let the trade go through or not. It seems likely they will let the trade happen. With Steve Ballmer apparently in the clear, the Clippers are more likely to push for this trade to go through.
At this point, Toronto can’t do much with its roster until they know if Leonard is an official member of the team or not. If he does return to Toronto, the Raptors should be considered a contender to finish as a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference next season.
Raptors Add All-Star Point Guard in Shrewd Trade Idea