The Toronto Raptors will likely pull off one or two pretty big moves in the offseason, as they need to make some adjustments if they want to assert themselves as viable contenders. While trading for Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert would be unlikely, Toronto can’t rule out the idea of adding one of the best defensive players in NBA history.
Gobert has reportedly become so frustrated with Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz that he gave Utah an ultimatum. Either he or Mitchell needs to be traded. Toronto played the entire 2021-22 season without a competent 7-0 center in the post, making this one of the significant areas of need.
Getting Gobert is going to be fraught with difficulty. In addition to the fact that Toronto would need to part with multiple quality players to acquire Gobert’s hefty salary, Masai Ujiri would need to send large chunks of his draft capital to Utah in order to seal the deal.
While Ujiri would need to take a huge risk to bring him in, Gobert’s defense and rebounding are so exceptional that Toronto could be willing to part with those assets in order to acquire him. These three Raptors might need to start looking for apartments in Utah if Ujiri goes after Gobert.
3 Toronto Raptors who could be traded for Rudy Gobert.
3. Khem Birch
While Birch certainly would not be the type of player who could help highlight the package going to Utah, the Jazz have shown interest in revitalizing the careers of big men who have been tossed aside by other teams. Could Birch benefit from Quin Snyder’s ability to develop bigs?
Birch averaged 4.5 points per game just one year after putting up just under 12 points per game during his stint in the Tampa bubble. Considering what an incongruous fit he is on this switchable roster, Birch could be flipped to the Jazz and sold as a potential lottery ticket that Utah could cash in on.
The Toronto Raptors could trade Khem Birch.
Birch signed a three-year, $20 million contract last offseason, but he did little to prove he was worth that contract. Birch’s efficiency inside and his robust defense didn’t show up, and it left him looking like a square peg trying to fit in the round hole of Toronto’s switch-heavy scheme.
While he didn’t have his best season, Birch did suffer from injuries. If fully healthy, he could be more effective than he was during his second Raptors season. Replacing Gobert will likely be a team effort, and Birch can play a small part in helping Utah out by rebounding and defending with aplomb.
2. Chris Boucher
While Ujiri seemed to hint at Boucher’s favorable chances of making the 2022 roster, a Gobert deal could get the wheels of yet another sign-and-trade turning. Boucher could be a nice win-now piece to help Utah contend for a playoff spot without Gobert.
Even though he will turn 30 this season, Boucher’s hot second-half start has reinvigorated his stock within the league. Boucher averaged 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game from December 5 onward. Utah will find a use for a player with his history and versatility on both ends.
Chris Boucher may not return to the Toronto Raptors.
Thad Young could also be a sign-and-trade candidate, but the younger Boucher might earn a longer contract and subsequently be a better asset than the aging vet. Boucher could cash in with Utah in a way that Toronto might not be able to afford with Gobert on the salary cap.
Boucher developed from a fringe pro player to someone that has proven in consecutive seasons that he can be one of the first guys off the bench for a playoff team. He could get a higher volume of shots in Utah, while Toronto benefits from Gobert’s unparalleled interior defense.
1. Gary Trent Jr.
Toronto will need to give up at least one of their starters if they are serious about Gobert. With Trent and OG Anunoby the two most likely hypothetical candidates to be moved, Anunoby’s value on both ends and versatility might make him slightly more valuable to Toronto’s long-term plans.
Trent averaged 18.3 points per game while nailing 38% of his 3-pointers. On defense, Trent went from one of the worst players at his position into the league to a turnover machine. Trading Trent would be less than ideal (not to mention unlikely), but a Gobert trade would demand someone of his caliber.
Gary Trent Jr. could be a Toronto Raptors trade candidate.
Trent is under contract next season, but he could opt out of his deal and hit the market after next year. Considering how well he played and the demand for shooters, he would be making a substantial financial error by not testing the waters. Moving off him a year early to get Gobert could be a nice bit of business from Ujiri.
It’s hard to underestimate how transformative Gobert would be for the Raptors. Sure, he isn’t super switchable on defense and his offensive value is limited to dunks. Despite those facts, he is unquestionably one of the best defensive centers who has ever lived. Putting that sort of rim protection alongside Toronto’s arsenal of wings would be a treat to watch.