B/R’s strange Raptors/Lakers trade is laughably lopsided

The Toronto Raptors are trying to show that they are a team that shouldn’t be trifled with in the Eastern Conference, but their 15-18 record means that they could be selling when the trade deadline turns around. Names like Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. will assuredly get asked about. 

The Los Angeles Lakers might be in a mood to get a deal done, as they would like to get off Russell Westbrook and his very burdensome contract. They have been interested in Trent in the past, and Lakers fans are clamoring for more shooting, so it’s natural to be envious of Toronto’s gifts.

A Bleacher Report trade had the Raptors giving up VanVleet, Trent, and Chris Boucher all in one big move. The Raptors would get back Westbrook (who would fit into this team as naturally as an elephant in a birdbath) and two assorted bench pieces in Juan Toscano-Anderson and Max Christie.

Toronto is getting first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 with swaps in 2026 and 2028, but that still isn’t a fair offer. In exchange for picks that will be made when most of the roster will be gone and the league’s worst contract, the Raptors would trade their two best perimeter scorers. Why would Toronto do this?

B/R’s proposed Toronto Raptors/Los Angeles Lakers trade makes no sense.

The logic, as flimsy as it may be, is that the expiring contracts of VanVleet and Trent (should they deny their player options) make them less attractive trade chips. That falls down when you consider that LA will have enough flexibility to sign them once Westbrook is gone.

The Raptors should clearly try to hoard picks in a trade, given how hard it is to attract top talent in free agency. However, there is no way to know what these picks will be worth so far down the road, so trading valuable assets right now to acquire Westbrook would be counterintuitive.

Toronto is still sitting in the middle, wondering if they should tear everything down and start over or go for the postseason by making a big move. If they do sell, they wouldn’t give away an All-Star player and a quality shooter for a pick that could potentially be decent five years from now.

The Raptors will not trade either of these players unless they get an impact player on the upswing in addition to draft capital that positions them well for the future. This trade does nothing except make the Lakers really good at Toronto’s expense.