Most of the Toronto Raptors rumors that have sprouted up in recent weeks have been centered around veteran point guard Goran Dragic. Exiled from the rotation and now away from the team due to a personal matter, it appears as though Dragic’s time in Canada will be coming to an end before the trade deadline.
The rumblings around Dragic have been connecting him to the Dallas Mavericks for some time. Not only could they use a veteran scorer off of the bench, but the Slovenian guard would be paired with countryman Luka Doncic on a team that is ready to make a run at the title.
The Raptors may find it more difficult to move Dragic this season, as his play hasn’t exactly increased his value to prospective contenders. Still, according to Heat insider Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinal, Dragic is trying to make sure he ends up playing alongside Doncic in Dallas.
“The sense is Goran works his way toward his preferred (and most viable) option of the Mavericks, to close out the season alongside Slovenian compatriot Luka Doncic,” Winderman said. “Goran already has proven amenable to a bench role, something he thrived in with the Heat.”
ASK IRA: Is there a path for Goran Dragic back to the Heat? (Likely not. We explain why.) https://t.co/fsWZ47bUL5
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) November 29, 2021
Raptors rumors: Will the Mavericks get Goran Dragic?
Dragic averaged 8.0 points and 2.8 rebounds on 38% shooting this year. After a slow start, Nurse decided to give rookie Dalano Banton more minutes in the rotation. That move coincided with a long winning streak, and Dragic was quickly frozen out of the lineup as a result.
In addition to the fact that Dragic’s $19 million salary will make finding a trade partner tough, the fact that he is currently attending to a personal matter leaves his playing status completely up in the air. However, if both parties have enough mutual interest, this deal may still be consummated.
Statement from GM Bobby Webster on Goran Dragic. pic.twitter.com/g9oJxtsAhp
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) November 28, 2021
The Raptors’ timeline does not mesh with Dragic, who is still eyeing a chance at a championship before he retires. While Toronto may not get the most amazing care package in return due to the fact Dragic’s age and production aren’t ideal, Dallas has plenty of backups worth parting with.
Be it Moses Brown or Dwight Powell, Toronto could use this opportunity to improve their frontcourt depth while doing Dragic a solid and getting him to his preferred destination. Dragic may not have given the Raptors a ton of production, but they could manage to turn him into some very intriguing assets.