Grade the Trade: Raptors sell high on RJ Barrett to land Jokic 2.0 in new proposal

Laying out the trade

The Houston Rockets are on an exciting trajectory, with a deep and multifaceted young core of players and a few targeted veterans to help them grow. Last season they took a step forward to winning 40 games and nearly making the Play-In Tournament (they would have been comfortably in if they played in the Eastern Conference).

This summer was an opportunity for Houston to further commit to their young potential stars, but instead, they kept the powder dry. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun are both entering their fourth years in the league and are therefore extension eligible; both were drafted the same year as Scottie Barnes, Green two picks ahead.

The Rockets haven't agreed to extensions with either, and there is logic behind both decisions. Green has failed to realize his potential as an on-ball star and likely wants to bet on himself this year to pursue a max deal next summer.

For Sengun, however, he has already broken out and played at an extremely high level. Last season he was legitimately in the All-Star conversation and has an offensive skillset that has earned him the "Jokic 2.0" nickname for his scoring and passing at the center position.

The reason Houston hasn't worked out an extension, at least in part, is that they aren't sure Sengun is their center of the future. The team played its best basketball last season when Sengun was injured and out of the lineup; some of that is schedule luck as they faced a soft lineup of opponents, but some of that is the reality that putting shot-blocking on the court in Sengun's place helped the Rockets' defense lock down opponents.

Would Houston be open to a trade offer for Sengun, then, if it brought in a wing who was both a prolific scorer -- in case Green can't put things together -- and young enough to grow with this roster? If so, perhaps a trade could look like this:

The Houston Rockets kept Jeff Green and Jock Landale around to include as salary matching in a trade, so this works out smoothly for them financially. Barrett gives them a more proven option at shooting guard or small forward and frees the Rockets from being overly reliant on Jalen Green's shot creation.

It also sets them up to make a separate deal for their long-term starting center, potentially using Jalen Green as the asset to chase such a player.

What about Toronto -- if Houston is in on this trade, should the Raptors pull the trigger?