Grade the Trade: Raptors land unwanted All-Star in questionable new proposal

This one doesn't make a lot of sense
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans / Jonathan Bachman/GettyImages
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The Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans are both searching for a trade.

The Pelicans are barreling toward the start of the season with a roster that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. They have a journeyman and two rookies and nothing else at the center position, a shocking weakness for a team with deep playoff aspirations like New Orleans.

At the same time, they are absolutely loaded on the wing, a rare and impressive feat for an NBA team. Assuming both CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray start, that leaves two openings for Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III, all of whom would start on nearly any team in the league.

The Raptors, on the other hand, have a lot less pressure on them than a team like the Pelicans. While it's possible they can make a run at the playoffs this season, the goal is developing their young core.

Even so, they did make the decision to pick up Bruce Brown's $23 million team option, and that wasn't to keep around the championship veteran. They need to find a trade partner, and the longer it takes to do so, the lower the likelihood of a deal is.

Could the two sides help each other out? Let's look at a recent trade that was put together to see whether it works for both sides.