The Toronto Raptors have quite the conundrum on their hands when it comes to Chris Boucher. On one hand, he was without question one of their best players on both sides of the ball last year. On the other, 2021-22 has been a massive struggle for him so far, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
This slump could not come at a worse time for Boucher, who is currently an unrestricted free agent. While Goran Dragic will be coming off the Raptors’ books, they aren’t necessarily the most financially flexible team in the world given all the money tied up in Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet.
The thought of unloading Boucher might dissipate slightly if the Raptors prove themselves to be firm contenders, but Masai Ujiri still might decide to flip a declining asset who could be lost in the offseason anyway for some pieces that could help Toronto in the immediate and long-term future.
If the Raptors are willing to offload Boucher in order to either get more capital for the future or assets to help a playoff chase, they shouldn’t rule out the Phoenix Suns as a potential trade partner. One player that Toronto could look to take a swing on is former Top 10 pick Jalen Smith.
Tonight has not been Chris Boucher’s finest.
— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) November 4, 2021
This Toronto Raptors trade sends Chris Boucher to the Phoenix Suns.
Smith, who recently had his third-year option declined by the Suns, was picked No. 10 overall in 2020, ahead of No. 20 pick Precious Achiuwa and No. 29 selection Malachi Flynn. While the former Maryland star and top recruit has struggled to get regular minutes, playing behind Deandre Ayton on a contender limits the number of opportunities available for him.
While Smith is another skinny big man, and his shooting is far behind where even a struggling Boucher, the former top recruit is another top-shelf athlete with tons of potential. While Achiuwa has been up and down, Smith definitely fits what Ujiri is looking for in his big men.
Unless Boucher really starts balling in his bench role, resigning him is by no means guaranteed. If Ujiri is resigned to losing him in order to build around this new young core, why not get a young player with some upside and some late-round picks before he departs?
Phoenix, meanwhile, would undertake the task of getting Boucher back to his old level while getting a good look at potentially bringing him back for 2022-23 and beyond. With the Suns in win-now mode, Boucher will be playing meaningful minutes on a team looking to make some noise.
The idea of parting with Boucher will undoubtedly be polarizing given what he showed he could do last year, but if the front office does cross this proverbial Rubicon, they could at least look to recoup picks and players.