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The Toronto Raptors should make a trade for Alec Burks

By Mark Birdsell

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 13: Alec Burks #8 of the Golden State Warriors smiles prior to a game against the Utah Jazz on December 13, 2019 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 13: Alec Burks #8 of the Golden State Warriors smiles prior to a game against the Utah Jazz on December 13, 2019 at vivint.SmartHome Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Alec Burks (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Warriors’ salary cap dilemma

After acquiring D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade for Durant, the Warriors are hard capped. That means that the Warriors cannot exceed the luxury tax apron ($138,928,000). As per Spotrac.com, the Warriors’ current payroll is just over $138.5 million. They are $374,924 below the tax apron.

Two key members of the Warriors team this season have been Damion Lee and Ky Bowman. Both are on two-way contracts and have almost used up their allotted 45 days of NBA assignment.

The Warriors do not have enough cap space to waive any of their current players and convert Lee or Bowman into standard NBA contracts. As such, the Warriors need to shed salary if they want to keep Lee or Bowman with the main team instead of their G-League affiliate.

What does this mean for the Toronto Raptors?

The Raptors should be able to acquire Burks at a much cheaper price than it would take to get Covington, Redick or Morris. The Warriors might be prepared to accept a second-round pick as compensation to allow them the flexibility to convert Lee or Bowman.

The Raptors could waive Malcolm Miller and then absorb Burks into the trade exception created by last year’s Delon Wright trade. Such a move would cost the Raptors a bit of money. But the team is about $6 million below the luxury tax threshold and acquiring a player of Burks’ level would be worth the cost.

Burks would fit well in the Raptors offense. He is a quick player, capable of handling the ball and able to space the floor. Burks would provide some additional firepower to the Raptors’ bench and another veteran player come playoff time.

The Raptors have shown the ability to find rotation players outside of the draft. Fred VanVleet is set to cash in next summer. Terence Davis also looks like a keeper. The Raptors have already traded away their second-round picks in 2021, 2022 and 2024. Ujiri and Webster shouldn’t even hesitant to ship out another one if it means acquiring a switchable wing that can knock down open 3s.

The Raptors may be the defending champions, but it is going to take some luck for them to get back to the Finals and have an opportunity to defend their crown. Acquiring a player like Burks is exactly the type of low risk move that helps the Raptors this season, without limiting any flexibility moving forward.

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Versatile wing players have become the most important commodity in the modern NBA. If you can get one for next to nothing, a team shouldn’t even think twice about it, just pull the trigger and get it done.

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