Toronto Raptors: Mapping out 3 Norman Powell trade options

Norman Powell trade No. 2: Powell goes to Boston for Tristan Thompson

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are of course the cornerstones of the Celtics’ franchise, but with Kemba Walker on the downslope and Marcus Smart being inconsistent on the offensive end, the Celtics are in the market for a reliable two-way wing to run off the bench. That’s where Powell comes in.

At first glance, Raptors fans might not be too interested in this trade. Yes, Tristan Thompson is a hometown guy, and yes, he does plug a hole in the Raptors frontcourt, but is he really worth shopping a valuable trade piece like Powell? Not alone, but luckily, he’s not.

What would the Raptors get in this Norman Powell trade?

Romeo Langford has had a series of tough breaks since he was drafted in 2019.  While his injuries and lack of success are serious concerns, he also never really had a chance to play in Boston. He’s a lottery guard who’s had a lot of tough breaks, and as a throwaway piece in a trade, the Raptors could do worse.

Now add in the Celtics first-round pick. Note that this won’t be a lottery pick. The Celtics will by all accounts finish as a top-five team in the East, which means that acquiring their first-round pick spells a rookie in the 18-25 range.  Still, 2021 is a strong draft class down the line, and Masai Ujiri has a knockdown batting average when it comes to later draft picks.

All this together and it starts to look like an enticing trade package.