The Toronto Raptors are still in the process of trying to figure out if trading for Kevin Durant is a feasible option for this team in both the short and long term. They are one of the few teams in the league who have a collection of assets the Brooklyn Nets could be interested in.
In addition to Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, who Toronto has been unwilling to include in trade talks so far, the Raptors could flip names like OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. to Brooklyn in exchange for one of the unquestioned best players in league history.
Durant being traded remains unlikely given the mountain of draft control and assets that would need to be forked over in exchange. However, the Raptors will keep their feelers extended and continue to tempt the Nets with packages of picks and players until one side blinks.
With just about everyone with a pulse on the roster being thrown around in hypothetical trades from all corners of the Internet, it’s time to take stock of the Raptors’ roster. Which players are available for trade, and which ones are not for sale?
Toronto Raptors trade tiers amid Kevin Durant rumors
Tier 1: No way
- Scottie Barnes
- Pascal Siakam
- Fred VanVleet
The whole reason that Toronto should even be interested in acquiring Durant is the potential of what they could build around their existing stars. Barnes and Siakam should be off-limits, as giving up any one of them would be too risky.
Handing the Rookie of the Year to the Nets could come back and bite Toronto in the butt nearly instantly. If Barnes gets the shots needed to show his offensive improvement with the Nets, he could become an All-Star who haunts Toronto for years. Leave him and Siakam out of this.
Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam are off-limits.
Tier 2: The VanVleet tier
- Fred VanVleet
The Raptors will be without a point guard if VanVleet is moved, while swapping an All-NBA player in Siakam would take a massive chunk out of Toronto’s offensive punch.
The reason VanVleet gets his own tier is the fact that moving Barnes to point guard full-time is still a legitimate option. If Toronto feels comfortable doing that, VanVleet becomes moveable enough to where he can be the unquestioned headliner.
Durant is likely not going to get traded because the Nets will probably refuse to back down on a request for one of these three standouts. Toronto needs to hold firm and not give the Nets an easy way out by sending one of them to New York. These three are the future, even if VanVleet might move the needle in Toronto’s favor.
Tier 3: Maybe
- OG Anunoby
- Gary Trent Jr.
- Chris Boucher
- Precious Achiuwa
- Thad Young
- Christian Koloko
- Otto Porter Jr.
The odds of trading for Durant will hinge on how many of these players Toronto would be willing to send to Brooklyn. While they would like to keep both Trent and Anunoby, they would clearly have to be sacrificed in any Durant deal given their long-term potential.
While Boucher, Young, and new addition Porter can’t be aggregated in a trade for a few months, they could be flipped if this situation drags into the regular season. Achiuwa is a very promising piece, but he shouldn’t be considered untouchable if a player like Durant is out there.
The Toronto Raptors may move some big names for Kevin Durant.
Koloko could be an intriguing asset if this saga goes into the middle of the season and the rookie starts to flash some potential. Toronto would be robbed of their depth in any Durant trade, but that’s a price they seem willing to pay if it helps land EasyMoneySniper in Toronto.
Anunoby is a few slight offensive adjustments away from becoming a star, and Trent is a bucket-getter fresh off a career season. These two would likely be considered off-limits in 99.5% of trade scenarios, but Durant is just a completely different beast.
Tier 4: Feel free to take him
- Dalano Banton
- Khem Birch
- Armoni Brooks
- Malachi Flynn
- Jeff Dowtin
- Justin Champagnie
- Ron Harper Jr.
- Svi Mykhailiuk
If the Nets really want any of these players as cheap throw-ins or lottery tickets that they are willing to attempt to strike gold on, the Raptors should be willing to accommodate. The Raptors could free up space for some non-guaranteed contracts by offloading Birch and Mykhailiuk.
If any of these players is likely to interest Brooklyn (unlikely), Flynn is an excellent developmental gamble with which the Nets could work. He may have some tangible value if Brooklyn wants to focus on developing some of their younger players in a post-KD era.
The Toronto Raptors could trade these backups for Kevin Durant.
None of these players will move the needle in a trade, but they could end up being viewed in the same way the Pacers regarded the collection of role players they got from Boston in the Malcolm Brogdon deal. If they play well, great! If you don’t want them, you’re not tied to them financially.
The Raptors with Durant will be a completely different squad than the Raptors without KD. Instead of developing youngsters like Banton and Champagnie, the end of the bench will be filled by ring-chasing veterans. It’s a different look, but not outrageous.