Former Raptors GM Masai Ujiri is now running things in Dallas. Unless there’s some bad blood between him and the current Raptors front office that we don’t know about, that development could open the door for some trade talks between the Raptors and Mavericks—especially considering that the Mavericks have a player who could be an immediate solution to the Raptors’ nagging offensive issues.
Kyrie Irving, with his ability to break down defenses and create offense for himself and his teammates, could take the Raptors to the next level. He would immediately improve the Raptors’ 3-point volume and success, draw defensive attention no matter where he is on the court, and ease the playmaking load on Scottie Barnes’s shoulders. On the other end of the floor, the Raptors are as well equipped to make up for a guard’s defensive shortcomings as a team can be.
A recent mock trade by FanSided’s Christopher Kline would send Irving to Toronto in a very cheap deal for the Raptors. Kline proposed that the Raptors give up Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick, the 19th pick in this year’s draft, and a lottery-protected 2028 first-round pick. Quickley was solid for the Raptors when available, but Irving would be an immediate upgrade. Dick fell out of the Raptors’ rotation and hasn’t realized his potential as a 3-point specialist yet, so including him in the trade would be a win.
Losing a first-round pick in this year’s draft could be tough, depending on how prospects actually pan out, but it’s a risk the Raptors may have to take either way if they want to significantly upgrade the roster this offseason.
While Irving is a great fit basketball-wise, there are still some concerns.
Irving’s age and injury history are something to consider
At 34, Irving can help the Raptors win now, but he certainly won’t be a part of any long-term plans around Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles, who are a decade younger than him. Acquiring an aging star would put a lot of pressure on the Raptors to actually win immediately.
What’s more concerning is Irving’s injury history. He is fresh off an ACL tear, and he hasn’t played more than 60 games in a season since his 2018-19 campaign with the Boston Celtics.
Trading for Irving could quickly look like a bad deal if he struggles with injuries and isn’t available enough to help the Raptors find significant playoff success.
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