The Toronto Raptors have been connected to a Pascal Siakam trade for quite some time, but OG Anunoby has also been connected to some contenders in the last few months. The Raptors shopped him at the trade deadline, but the front office was unable to seal the deal.
The Raptors will likely roll into this season with Anunoby in the fold and entrenched as a leader in Darko Rajakovic’s rotation. That won’t stop the trade rumors, especially from wannabe contenders like the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With a strong young core and more picks than Sam Presti can keep track of, the Thunder could finally start turning those picks into proven veterans. Anunoby’s elite defense and solid shooting will make him a desired asset that will fit into whatever style of play his new team runs.
The Raptors aren’t considering trades for Anunoby at the moment, but that directive could be flipped upside down if a team like Oklahoma City is so desperate to start opening the contention window that they overpay for him. Would this Bleacher Report trade satisfy everyone?
https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1681432639516082183
Grade the Trade: Raptors get Thunder picks for OG Anunoby.
The Raptors would end up with an inordinate amount of first-round picks as a result of this trade, with three firsts coming their way. The Thunder have 35 picks at their disposal in seven years, meaning they would be willing to trade them away for an improvement.
Dort is a solid player, even if he is a bit overpriced and limited offensively. If nothing else, the Raptors would be able to keep their defensive integrity together. Dort could be a prized Sixth Man or a solid starter who won’t demand tons of touches on offense.
If the Jazz end up fighting for the play-in tournament this season and the Clippers end up tanking due to health in a very competitive Western Conference, the Raptors could end up with three Top 20 draft picks. That’s hard for Masai Ujiri to pass up.
The Raptors shouldn’t trade Anunoby unless they can land a haul they can’t refuse that sets them up for the future. Dort is not as good as Anunoby, but it will be hard to turn down all those picks for a player who could leave in free agency after the 2023-24 season.
Grade: A-