The trade rumors swirling around the Toronto Raptors in the last few weeks kicked up an exciting, previously unforeseen trade target. According to Mike Scotto of HoopsHype, the Raptors could be interested in becoming the third team in a Trail Blazers-Heat Damian Lillard deal in order to acquire Tyler Herro.
While Herro is the most tradeable asset Miami has to offer, reports claim that the Trail Blazers aren’t overly thrilled with any trade packages that feature Herro as the main piece coming back to Portland. That could get a shooting-needy Raptors team interested in a player that could instantly solve their issues.
Unfortunately, Herro is not going to come to Toronto for free. The Raptors likely need to swap one of their previously immovable pieces to make the trade happen, all while making sure to compensate either Portland or Miami well. Masai Ujiri will need to put his negotiating shoes on.
While the Herro trade is a bit of a risk due to all of the obvious problems that can come with adding a player like him, it’s very easy to see why the Raptors would entertain such an unusual trade proposition if it meant that Herro would be suiting up in Raptors red.
Pros and Cons of Toronto Raptors trading for Tyler Herro.
Pros
Herro has averaged over 20 points per game in each of the last two seasons while making just under 40% of his 3-point attempts. Few players his age in this league are even close to him when it comes to providing instant offense, and the Raptors have no one close to his skill level in the backcourt right now.
Herro should slot right in as a starting guard, as his 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game averages in the last two seasons should be taken as further proof that he can contribute to the Raptors in more ways than just chucking up 3-pointers. He’s a difference-maker, and those are few and far between.
Tyler Herro could improve the Toronto Raptors.
Paying Herro an average of $30 million per season in the next four years might seem like an exorbitant price, but his performance over the last few years could make that deal a bargain. In the modern NBA, young guards who can score and make plays are worth their weight in gold.
Herro on the Raptors would give them a long-term starter that is actually retained long-term, a player with multiple years of postseason experience, and a young name that can be one of the critical cogs as Masai Ujiri tries to build a somewhat sustainable winner.
Cons
The Raptors typically don’t acquire players unless they are convinced of their defensive potential, even if they might be poor on that end in the short term. However, the fact that Herro has consistently been one of the worst defenders in the NBA during his entire career could scare some teams away.
The $30 million average salary that is on Herro’s contract might be somewhat economical for a player of his caliber. Still, that salary is also so much that one of the Raptors’ more important starters would have to be sent away in a relatively noteworthy shake-up of a trade for this fantasy to become a reality.
The Toronto Raptors must worry about Tyler Herro.
Herro would also go against the Raptors’ stated directive to gradually put more on Scottie Barnes’ plate during the next few years. All the shots that would have been given to Barnes as a result of Fred VanVleet leaving the team would likely be transferred over to Herro.
For a Raptors team that many believe is farther away from contention than Masai Ujiri is willing to accept, the idea of giving up a solid player and more draft picks in what has already been an offseason full of change for a team lacking tons of capital could set off too many alarm bells.
Verdict
Even with the risks that accompany Toronto acquiring Herro, the Raptors need to look into acquiring him. The number of guards who are better pure perimeter scores than him is already small, to begin with, and it will only continue to shrink next season and beyond.
The Raptors are not going to be able to retain all of their starters long-term, but Herro’s contract could help Toronto start to plan a new Herro/Barnes-centered attack that has some staying power. Herro’s floor for the next few seasons might be 20 points per game.
The Toronto Raptors should consider Tyler Herro.
Not being able to acquire Herro when he is available for trade could end up being a huge “what-if.” If the Raptors start off slow yet do not perform poorly enough to have their first-round pick in their possession following the Jakob Poeltl trade, missing this deal could look quite horrendous.
Toronto isn’t in a position to add many amazing players in the draft outside of their original picks, and they will never be a free agent destination. Adding a star like Herro via trade might be the only way for them to actually add an external player of his caliber in the next few years.