Grade the Trade: Raptors unload veteran for deadeye, draft first in bright future

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held this Sunday night to determine the draft order for June's NBA Draft, and the outcome of those bouncing ping pong balls will determine the futures for a number of NBA teams. The Toronto Raptors need to know what happens before they can put together a comprehensive plan for the offseason.

If the Raptors lose their first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs, an outcome with a 54 percent chance of happening, they will have less young talent but more flexibility with the salary cap and in trading future draft picks. If the pick stays put at No. 6, the Raptors have a decent prospect on the books and still owe a pick down the line.

If the pick jumps up into the Top 4, and especially if it lands at No. 1, the Raptors now have a very different path ahead. Each slot they move up the board increases their chances of getting a real contributor in the draft, and if they win that first overall pick they get their pick of the available prospects. We identified which player the Raptors should take first and throughout the Top 10 with a tema-specific big board.

What do the Raptors do if they pick first?

If the Raptors end up picking first, how should that shape the rest of their offseason? It may mean moving on from veterans currently on the team to fully embrace this young core, especially if there is positional overlap., The Raptors won't let the presence of Jakob Poeltl or Bruce Brown prevent them from taking the best prospect on the board with the first pick.

Let's look into one such bright future, where the Raptors win the first overall pick and draft Alex Sarr, the next French center to look like a future defensive star. What trade could they make next to set their team up for long-term success? Let's break down such a trade and see whether it makes sense for all parties involved.