The Toronto Raptors may decide to look into a Kevin Durant trade once again. After weeks of stagnation due to Toronto’s reluctance to go overboard and trade Scottie Barnes away, talks might start up again after Durant rocked the NBA world on Monday.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Durant told owner Joe Tsai he would only stay with the Nets if Brooklyn replaced head coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks. With Tsai tweeting his support of Brooklyn’s power structure, that probably isn’t happening.
The Raptors have more competition now, as teams like the Boston Celtics have reportedly entered the fray and started sizing up options for a Durant trade. This idea of trading for him is no less risky as a result of the last few days, but Toronto still needs to finalize their best hypothetical offer for the Nets.
Trading for Durant sounds excellent on paper, but there are some thorns on that rose that will make it very difficult for Masai Ujiri to part with some prized long-term assets. Should the Raptors move forward with this plan, especially given all of the competition in the division for him?
Pros and Cons of Toronto Raptors trading for Kevin Durant.
Pros
Durant remains a top-five player in the league at the very worst, as his ability to fill up the stat sheet is the only reason the Nets didn’t completely fold and fall out of the postseason picture. The Raptors have some great players. None of them will ever be 30 per game scorers (let alone at age 34) like KD.
Let’s be optimistic and assume that the Raptors can acquire Barnes and Siakam. It’s a tall order, but not impossible. Toronto would end up as one of the best teams in the league and the instant favorites to come out of an Eastern Conference that is still wide open.
Kevin Durant on the Toronto Raptors sounds ideal.
KD has previously voiced his support for the culture in Toronto. From talking up Nick Nurse and heaping praise on Barnes following their first meeting, it seems like Durant really likes what Ujiri is building. Could you ask for a better mentor for Barnes in his formative years than Durant?
While Durant and Kawhi Leonard are two totally different situations with two different asking prices, Ujiri might need to return to the same mindset if he wants to make a similar trade. They will both be risky short-term moves, but the value they bring in the postseason simply can’t be equaled.
Cons
Durant is still 34 years old, making him a significant injury risk. Off an Achilles injury and a leg ailment that sidelined him for large chunks of last year, the Raptors could easily end up swindled if they give up a player that is one awkward landing away from missing a chunk of the season.
Durant was allegedly key in getting Nash hired in place of Kenny Atkinson. Not only did he strongarm the Nets into trading for James Harden, but he contributed to the friction that preempted his 76ers trade. Why wouldn’t he turn on the Raptors if he was willing to turn on that team?
Kevin Durant has some risks for the Toronto Raptors.
The Nets may have been made aware of Durant’s discontent, but that doesn’t mean they’ll play ball with him. With so many years left on his contract, Brooklyn would be well within their rights to dare him to sit out. This could dissuade them from taking less just to move them.
While KD at his best could get the Raptors a ring, Durant at his least reliable would be such a debilitating move for Toronto that they would not only fizzle out in the postseason, but they would watch as a division rival directly benefitted. Durant’s famously thin legs will hold the weight of the entire franchise.
Final Verdict.
While the Durant trade does indeed have some unique pitfalls that could hurt Toronto if they trade for him, the benefit they could gain from acquiring him is so unprecedently positive that Ujiri should keep his name in the sweepstakes. With teams like Boston and Philly involved, Toronto is not alone.
Players of this level fresh off averaging 30 points a game with a complete patsy as a head coach never become available via trade. We, as NBA fans, might have to collectively wait another decade before someone in this tier with this level of security. Now is when you go all-in.
The Toronto Raptors should take the Kevin Durant plunge.
Imagine a starting lineup in which Nick Nurse leans on the Barnes at point guard experiment, Siakam becomes one of the best No. 2 options in the league, and Durant gets penciled in for an automatic 25 points every single night. Players like OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. will be tough losses, but that’s the price of doing business.
With draft picks not providing as much value to a team looking to enter the contending tier, the Raptors may need to get a bit more aggressive and proactive than they usually are at this time of year in order to acquire KD and leave their rivals crying in disappointment.