Could the Toronto Raptors rent Kevin Durant?

Media members all over Toronto are currently feeling the aftershock of the Blue Jays’ earth-shattering trades, which have drastically changed the fate of the franchise. One trade involved GM Alex Anthopoulos moving future assets for three months with pitcher David Price in a win-now move, which could hinder the future of the franchise.

Price’s contract will expire after this season and he will be choosing where to land in 2016. This same situation could arise again north of the border with a different team.

Let’s think about Kevin Durant, whose contract expires in 2016.

We see you, KD. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

There is a lot of speculation and hope for Kevin Durant to sign with the Raptors next summer. As Raptors Rapture’s own Brian Boake wrote, Durant has a few ties to Toronto. His favourite player growing up was Vince Carter (not the one on the New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, etc…) and he is good friends with the team’s free agent magnet, Drake.

What if Toronto could pry him away before free agency? What if GM Masai Ujiri thought he could win it all in 2016?

To give a player like Kevin Durant away, the Oklahoma City Thunder would have to crumble out of the gates and be sure Durant wouldn’t re-sign with them. Considering rookie head coach Billy Donovan will be adjusting to the NBA game, is it so unfathomable?

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For argument’s sake, let’s say the Thunder start shopping Durant around the market, hoping to get something good in return for the one-time MVP. In order for the Raptors to acquire Durant’s $21 million contract, they would need to jump through a couple of hoops. First, the difference in total salaries from each side could not be larger than $5 million. Second, OKC would probably want some youth in return to help soften the loss.

Using ESPN’s trade machine, I concocted this deal:

SF Kevin Durant and SG Andre Roberson to Toronto in exchange for SG DeMar DeRozan, PF Patrick Patterson, SF Bruno Caboclo, C Lucas Nogueira, a 2016 first-round draft pick and a 2017 first-round draft pick.

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The first-round draft picks hurt, but we have four in the next two years and Ujiri said it was very unlikely we would keep them all.

The point of this trade is to replicate what the Blue Jays have done: sacrifice youth and long-term future to win this year. In the wide open Eastern Conference, a starting lineup of Kyle Lowry, Terrence Ross, DeMarre Carroll, Kevin Durant and Jonas Valanciunas would be good enough for the Conference Finals. Would it be enough to get past LeBron James and friends? It very well could be.

After two consecutive first-round exits, the Toronto Raptors look poised and equipped to make it further. Swinging for the fences could be what it takes to get to the next level. Combining the core we have now while switching DeRozan and company for Durant would create the best squad in franchise history.

Durant could take on the role of his childhood hero and bring the Raptors to unprecedented glory. We will have to wait and see if it works for the Blue Jays before we can use proper judgement. Hopefully we will get to hear Drake come up with a quirky nickname for Durant during an OVO night this season.

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