A single off-season move can shift the landscape of the NBA.
This is a truism that Canadian basketball fans know well. The most impactful trade acquisition in Toronto Raptors history — Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green for DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a first-round pick — was the precursor to a championship.
Then, the next summer, in the aftermath of Leonard’s departure from Toronto for his hometown of Los Angeles, a corresponding move jolted the NBA once more. Paul George joined Leonard on the Clippers with the return of five firsts, Danilo Gallinari, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander going back to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The effects of that deal were fully realized on Sunday when SGA was named Finals MVP as the Thunder hoisted their first Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Now, while the impact will likely be smaller, both Canada’s team and one of the country’s top players are making headlines this off-season once again.
Raptors to continue restructuring?
Toronto acquired Barrett along with Immanuel Quickley and a second-round pick one and a half seasons ago for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn.
At the time, Barrett’s contract was reportedly viewed as a “toxic asset,” yet that perception may have shifted given the 25-year-old’s resurgence since coming home. Not only did Barrett lead the Raptors in scoring this past season, but he also set career highs with averages of 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists. The six-foot-six wing has traditionally been viewed as a negative on defence, but he saw improvement there this season as well.
Barrett is owed $27.7 million next season and $57.3 million in total over the final two seasons of his contract.
Toronto has an excess of depth on the wing, including Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, Ja’Kobe Walter, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji and Jamison Battle.
Ingram, acquired in a deadline deal for a package including Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk and a first-round pick, has yet to hit the floor for the Raptors after spending the remainder of last season recovering from an ankle sprain. It’s possible the Raptors ship off Barrett without ever seeing his fit next to Ingram.
Although the idea of parting with a young Canadian talent may be difficult to stomach, getting a strong return for Barrett could be enough to override any sentimental feelings.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that the Raptors’ No. 9 pick is on the block in exchange for immediate talent.
This NBA off-season has been loaded with blockbusters so far, with Desmond Bane, Kevin Durant, Jrue Holiday and Anfernee Simons all being moved. The Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns each received a 2025 first-round pick as part of the packages for Bane and Durant, and the New Orleans Pelicans acquired the 23rd overall pick from the Indiana Pacers, making it three 2025 first-rounders that have changed hands in the past weeks. Could the Raptors make it four?
Toronto could also potentially package Barrett and the No. 9 pick for the “big fish” the Raptors have reportedly been seeking. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ties to the Raptors — both through reporting and Masai Ujiri’s relationship with the Greek superstar — are well documented.
Yet, Windhorst’s latest reporting has remained consistent with his previous accounts that Antetokounmpo has not asked for a trade, and is not available for a trade.
Wild Wild Western Conference
After making the biggest off-season (mid-Finals) splash so far in adding Kevin Durant, the Houston Rockets may still be one piece away from completing their roster.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, “the Rockets are still deciding how to proceed” with Fred VanVleet’s $44.9-million team option.
Stein added that the Rockets have signalled that they will not entertain sign-and-trade proposals if they don’t pick up the team option. Instead, they would look to negotiate a new deal with VanVleet — whose leadership on and off the court has been immense in Houston’s recent turnaround — in free agency.
The 31-year-old former champion agreed to move the team option deadline to June 29 after VanVleet’s contract initially stipulated a resolution be reached five days after the team’s season ended.
On the other side of the Durant deal, there has been plenty of speculation that Jalen Green could not be long for Phoenix, considering his positional redundancy alongside Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
The Suns “did background on Green before acquiring him to gauge his value around the league” to see if it would be worthwhile to flip him, per Scotto.
However, longtime Phoenix radio host John Gambadoro reported that the Suns do not intend to trade Green and will instead pair him in the backcourt with Booker.
The remaining rumblings out West are focused on big men.
Both the Suns (per Scotto) and Lakers (per Stein) have prioritized the pursuit of a centre. Phoenix “aggressively targeted” an upgrade at the five during Durant discussions, including attempts to pluck Rudy Gobert from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kel’el Ware from the Miami Heat and Jakob Poeltl from the Raptors. According to Scotto, they are still looking to improve at the position.
Dallas Mavericks centre Daniel Gafford agreed to a three-year, $54-million extension Monday, which was the maximum amount he could have signed for while still being eligible for a trade, noted NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan.
But Stein reported that the Mavericks would not look to deal Gafford, considering fellow centre Dereck Lively II’s struggles staying healthy.
– In the wake of Jayson Tatum tearing his Achilles tendon and being ruled out for the duration of the upcoming season, teams could be “throwing crazy offers” at Boston for players like Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, ESPN’s Shams Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show. “It will take a pretty insurmountable package to get those guys out of Boston,” Charania added.
While Boston may hold on tight to that pair, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported that the Celtics have actively been talking with teams around the league about trading centre Kristaps Porzingis. This could be a potential option for teams desperate at the five like the Lakers and Suns, with NBA Insider Jake Fischer reporting that Phoenix has been conducting background work on the Latvian big man.
– Scotto’s report included that the Sacramento Kings are looking to acquire a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Guards Devin Carter and Malik Monk are being shopped by the Kings in return. A previous report detailed that league executives are also monitoring Sacramento’s star trio of Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan with the belief that at least one could be traded either this off-season or at the upcoming season’s trade deadline.
– In Canadian news, Scotto reported that the Timberwolves will find it difficult to retain Nickeil Alexander-Walker as he is expected to command the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, and the team’s priority is re-signing Naz Reid and Julius Randle. Meanwhile, after drawing plenty of suitors at last season’s trade deadline, Montreal-born wing Bennedict Mathurin is expected to be a sought-after player once again this off-season, per Scotto. Finally, according to reporting from Stein and ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Gilgeous-Alexander could sign an unprecedented four-year supermax extension that would both exceed the highest average annual value of any contract in NBA history and become the first contract to ever pay a player greater than $80 million in one season.
