Grade the Trade: Raptors backtrack on latest trade, get younger in wild pitch

The Toronto Raptors wouldn't compeltely commit to a rebuild this season.

There were certainly reasons to do so, as their veteran team that looked quite solid on paper continued to lose games. Yet when they finally pulled the trigger, trading Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, they prioritized getting talent back over draft capital. They also turned around and used on of the picks they acquired to land a win-now center in Kelly Olynyk who will turn 33 years old before the playoffs start this year.

The Raptors then further committed to Olynyk, signing him to a two-year contract extension. Given the cost to add him and swingman Ochai Agbaji, and his Canadian passport, it seems like the Raptors want to keep him around for a long time.

Yet it's not overkill to say that Olynyk's time with the Raptors has been something of a disaster on the court. After shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range with the Utah Jazz this season, Olynyk has shot just 32.2 percent from deep in 23 games with the Raptors.

Toronto is obviously bad no matter who is on the court right now, but Olynyk is making them even worse since joining the team. When Olynyk plays the Raptors have been outscored by a whopping 16.6 points per 100 possessions, and that is 8.4 points worse than when he doesn't. The Raps are bad without Olynyk, and historically bad with him.

Should the Raptors trade Kelly Olynyk?

With Olynyk's contract now extended the Raptors could conceivably trade him this offseason. Olynyk is a player you add as a final piece to a contending team, but he hasn't been able to elevate the Raptors by himself. With Toronto almost surely in line to be bad again next season as they retool, what is the value of keeping Olynyk around? If the team can get back win-later assets for a win-now player that seems like a move to consider.

Let's look at one trade proposal that offers Toronto the chance to do just that and "grade the trade" from the Raptors' point of view.