Can Toronto Raptors top Lakers’ best offers for Bojan Bogdanovic?

The Toronto Raptors have a very robust roster full of players that will, in all likelihood, give this squad an excellent chance to compete for a championship this season. While the trade market has mostly dried up, Utah Jazz veteran Bojan Bogdanovic would make a ton of sense for the Raptors, given his offensive skillset.

The Jazz are willing to trade most of their veteran pieces, as the deals that sent Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland and Rudy Gobert to Minnesota show that Danny Ainge is willing to bottom out in exchange for draft picks and young players like Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler. Utah is still in the mood to wheel and deal.

Names like Bogdanovic, bench microwave Jordan Clarkson, and veteran point guard Mike Conley could all be on the move if the right trade offer lands on Danny Ainge’s plate. The Los Angeles Lakers, in need of more depth and a way to free themselves from Russell Westbrook, have gone hard after these vets.

The Lakers, per Tony Jones of the Athletic, are engaged with Utah and have an interest in acquiring Bogdanovic. Even if Toronto has a very cursory interest in Bogdanovic, they need to show Utah that they are willing to take him. A veteran who can score like Bogdanovic won’t be available forever.

Will the Raptors be able to get Bojan Bogdanovic?

What makes it tough for the Raptors is the fact that the Lakers have two separate ways with which they can acquire Bogdanovic. They can either cobble together multiple bench pieces and draft picks or use the Westbrook contract (along with some draft compensation) as headliners in the return package.

The Raptors are in a tough spot. While they would be foolish to trade one of their starters in a Bogdanovic deal, their bench features three recently signed players in Thad Young, Chris Boucher, and Otto Porter Jr. Precious Achiuwa might not be available in trade talks.

A third team would have to get involved, as the combination of a lack of tradeable assets and iffy salary cap wiggle room could make it hard for Toronto to navigate the trade waters. The Raptors may need to move draft picks around, but nabbing an elite shooter who put up 18.4 points per game in the last three years would be an A+ move.

The Lakers don’t have many tradeable assets at this point in time, but that isn’t stopping them from being an aggressive contender and pursuing a Bogdanovic trade. Rob Pelinka may not be the best trader ever, but Toronto will need to borrow his aggression if they want to contend.