Grade the Trade: Raptors make Klay signing possible in blockbuster 3-team proposal

Should Toronto make this trade?

The Toronto Raptors picked up Bruce Brown's team option with the plan to find a trade partner that would send back either a young prospect or a first-round pick; in this deal, they manage to land both, a savvy move that takes advantage of moving pieces around them in the league landscape to step in and secure the bag.

This deal first of all adds Josh Green, a 6'5" wing who is just 23 years old and starting the first year in a three-year, $41 million extension. The Warriors may prefer an expiring contract to Green's three-year deal, but the Raptors aren't opening up cap space anytime soon and are fine taking on that investment. Green is a plus athlete and solid perimeter defender who has worked to improve his 3-point shot; he will almost certainly shoot worse away from the pinpoint passes of Luka Doncic, but he has the makings of a solid 3-and-D wing and teams can always use those.

The first-round pick is also intriguing because it is so far out. The Mavericks look like a lock to be really good for a few years with Kyrie Irving bought in, Luka Doncic a top-5 player in the world and young pieces like Dereck Lively II and P.J. Washington in place alongside veterans like Klay Thompson. By 2031, however, Klay and Kyrie will be retired and the roster could look very different, to the point that Doncic may not even be there. It's a high-upside roll of the dice for the Raptors.

Finally, the Raptors move off of $10.4 million in this deal, opening up access to the full MLE to add another contributor or room under the luxury tax to add another player in a trade. It truly is a win-win-win for Toronto; they aren't getting one single premium asset, but by being flexible and paying attention to the league landscape they manage to make a strong trade to improve the team's long-term future.

Grade: B+