As @NetsDaily on X would post, rumors of Toronto emerging as a major player this offseason persist, with a new report hinting at a potential deal between the Raptors and Nets before the 2025 NBA Draft later this month.
Nets and Raptors could work out a trade prior to the 2025 NBA Draft
Hearing Nets may want to move up from #19 to the lottery, offering CamJ and #19 to Raptors or Rockets for either Raps 9th or Rockets 10th plus a bad contract. That would give Nets two picks in top 10 (presupposing neither team would need picks for Giannis trade.)
— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) June 4, 2025
The Nets' rumored interest in strengthening their position in the lottery makes sense, considering their rebuilding phase and the need for quality, young talent. They certainly have an attractive asset on their hands in sharpshooter wing Cam Johnson, and as the X post suggests, he would be the sweetener alongside the 19th pick in order to move up in the draft.
To complete the deal from a monetary perspective, the so-called "bad contract" involved would likely refer to RJ Barrett, whose deal aligns well with Johnson's similar contract. Additionally, Barrett's future in Toronto has been uncertain since reports of him being on the trade block surfaced late in the season, and it remains a topic of discussion among Raptors circles.
Moreover, this scenario suggests Toronto might be abandoning their pursuit of a draft target at ninth overall. As I mentioned after the draft lottery, falling to ninth was far from ideal, and there’s a good chance Masai Ujiri and his team could still find a solid prospect later in the draft if they move down to 19th. For example, look at Ja'Kobe Walter last year, an arguable draft steal uncovered by Ujiri.
I also believe this deal wouldn’t simply be a straight two-asset swap — Barrett and the 9th pick for Johnson and the 19th pick. On Toronto’s side, that seems like a weak return for a player who proved to be one of the Raptors’ most impactful throughout the year.
I think Toronto would try to secure some additional second-round picks in the deal or perhaps work out a way to upgrade their 39th pick into one of Brooklyn’s first-round selections at either 26th or 27th.
What makes this deal particularly intriguing are the potential implications for the Raptors' upcoming offseason plans — a summer in which Toronto has already been linked to pursuing a "big fish."
Bringing a sniper like Cam Johnson to the Raptors would certainly improve their spacing. While his skill set is quite different from RJ Barrett's, he's yet another wing added to their somewhat clunky forward rotation. With that in mind, we circle back to the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors.
If Toronto were to indeed pursue such a deal, it would likely signal that a Giannis trade is on the horizon, with Scottie Barnes as the central asset in that package — despite many Raptors fans' reluctance to part ways with their promising young star.
To land Giannis Antetokounmpo, Toronto would likely need to part with additional draft picks, Scott Barnes, a mix of other young assets, and some salary fillers. This would potentially result in a new starting lineup featuring Immanuel Quickley (I'd assume Toronto wants to keep him around), Brandon Ingram, Cam Johnson, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and someone at center (Jakob Poeltl would likely be traded to help make the finances work).
Sure, there's a possibility that all of this is just smoke and mirrors — perhaps the deal goes through, and Toronto rolls with a roster built around IQ, Ingram, Johnson, Barnes, and Poeltl. It's not a bad core, but it likely isn't enough to make them serious title contenders either.
I’d like to believe this is the first step toward acquiring Giannis; otherwise, Toronto might be working backward, even if Johnson is a better fit than the ball-dominant Barrett. It feels like a calm before the storm — an early move toward Toronto achieving their ultimate prize.