5 Ideal trade targets for Raptors to pair with Scottie Barnes

No. 3: Evan Mobley

Tom Ziller pitched the possibility of Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes teaming up in a recent Substack post and it piqued our interest. The Cleveland Cavaliers are certainly a long ways off from trading Evan Mobley, as they are first going to give new head coach Kenny Atkinson plenty of room to make the Cavs; foursome work.

Barring that, the Cavaliers would first be inclined to trade Jarrett Allen, who is older and boasts less upside. Yet the Cavs have been at their best with Allen at center next to a stretch-4, and Mobley would certainly fetch more on the trade market. The NBA never sees teams make this decision, but it may make the most sense for the Cavs to trade Mobley -- or at leat, it's possible to see the train of logic that could lead them there.

If Mobley comes onto the market, the Raptors would need to at least have a conversation about it, if not try to push to the front of the line to make an offer. Mobley doesn’t boast the frontcourt shooting that would be truly exceptional next to Barnes, but he does bring some of the best defensive impact in the entire league. With Mobley on the back line and Barnes roving in space, the Raptors would be set up for a Top 10 defense, if not a Top 5 unit, no matter who else is in the lineup.

The Cavaliers hope that Mobley can begin to blossom in his offensive game this year, and if he does, he’s not the one being traded. If Cleveland sours on the pairing, however, or Mobley doesn’t take a step forward, then the Raptors could be waiting with an offer. The two would represent a truly special defensive experience.