Toronto Raptors: Case for/against including 2021 pick in trade talks

The Toronto Raptors are contending for an NBA championship. Should the team risk their future by including their 2021 draft pick in trade discussions?

The Toronto Raptors don’t need to make a move this trade deadline. Their roster is relatively complete, it’s a seller’s market, and they don’t have many assets to spend. The most common asset for a team looking to make a move at the deadline, their upcoming first-round pick, has already been sent to the San Antonio Spurs as part of the Kawhi Leonard trade.

Yet, there are still a few areas where Toronto can upgrade, and although they don’t have their 2019 first-round pick, the Raptors can deal other future assets.

Due to the Stepien rule, the Raptors cannot trade their 2020 first-round pick. The rule, put in place after a disastrous trade by the Cleveland Cavaliers, prevents teams from dealing pick in back-to-back seasons. If Toronto wants to include a draft pick as compensation, it will need to be from 2021 or later.

Toronto is in win-now mode, but trading any pick multiple years out is a risky game. Should the Raptors include their 2021 pick in trade discussions? We examine in our favorite game: case for/case against.

The case for trading 2021 pick:

The Toronto Raptors are championship contenders. When you’re a championship contender, you do everything in your powers to win that season. Yes, it’s a risk on the future, but to not include the 2021 first round pick in trade discussions is ludicrous.

Case against:

It’s ludicrous to look out for the future of the franchise? The Raptors have two players under contract for the 2020-2021 season. Who knows where the franchise will be at that time. Trading your picks years out in the future is how you become a hopeless team very fast.

Case for:

You don’t know what the team will be like in three years, which is why the Raptors need to do everything in their power to contend right now. Trading the 2021 pick is a risky decision. You need to make risky decisions when you’re this close to a title.

Case against:

No matter who Toronto adds, they won’t be the favorites. Don’t become the Brooklyn Nets over chasing one playoff run. Teams who trade their draft picks become irrelevant very fast.

Case for:

Trading one future pick beyond this year doesn’t make you the Brooklyn Nets. The Houston Rockets haven’t used a first round draft pick since 2015. Last season, they were one cold shooting streak away from knocking off the Warriors.

Case against:

Things are starting to unravel a bit in Houston. Perhaps the lack of first round picks is starting to catch up to them. Another important factor, no-one nails the end of the first-round like Masai Ujiri. Delon Wright, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, all late first round picks.

Case for:

Past achievements don’t guarantee future success. Drafting is somewhat of a crap-shoot for even the most skilled talent evaluators (see Bruno Caboclo). More importantly, even a solid pick in 2021 won’t be ready to seriously contribute until 2023. The Raptors need to do everything to encourage Kawhi Leonard to stay by contending now.

Case against:

Smart team management will impress Kawhi more than panic win-now moves.

Case for:

It’s not a panic if Toronto is able to find a contributor. A pick in the late first-round typically doesn’t return very much, and a current contributor is worth the risk.

Case against:

There are no guarantees that the pick will be in the late first. Toronto could be terrible after the 2020 season. A pick in the lottery for a Wayne Ellington-esq player? No thank you.

Case for:

You can always put protections on the pick. Top-ten protect it for two years and convert it to two seconds after that.

Case against.

If lottery/top-ten protections are on the pick it should be OK to deal.