Grade the Trade: Raptors deal big man for Cavaliers guard in latest proposal

The Toronto Raptors, like any team in the NBA, loves to celebrate its success stories.

Toronto scooped a long-limbed big man off of the scrap heap and gave him a chance in 2018-19, and the former Oregon Ducks big went from undrafted afterthought to the type of 3s-and-blocks center that every NBA team was chasing. Chris Boucher was a massive success for the Raptors, and his ability to protect the paint and stretch the court on defense and offense respectively let him fit into a number of different lineups.

After Boucher went from Exhibit 10 to a rotation spot, however, his growth plateaued, his athleticism began to wane and his 3-point shot began to miss more often. Boucher's role reduced to just 14.1 minutes per game last year before he suffered a partially torn MCL that ended his season.

The Raptors are ready to move on

If the Raptors don't make any other moves this summer to add a center it's likely that Boucher, if healthy, will have a small rotation role, but that's not because the team still wants him in that role. Given his declining impact and the $10.8 million he is owed this season, the team is surely looking for a way to move off of his contract.

Could Toronto use his salary to bring in another player at a different position, attaching an asset to land someone who better fits their timeline and long-term vision? That's the idea behind a recent trade proposal that would flip Boucher for a guard who is exactly eight years younger.

Let's look at the deal and see whether it would make sense for the Raptors to pull the trigger.