3. Raptors and Knicks make wild swap
There are always trades nobody saw coming. Who expected Pascal Siakam to be dealt to the Pacers or Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers? Teams eager to improve can always find upgrades. It just may be surprising players they receive.
The Knicks are searching for a superstar to lead their roster. They have a ton of draft capital and the pressure to make the move becomes real this summer as some of those picks are in the 2024 draft. If New York adds an elite talent, they will likely trade Julius Randle. He may end up in Toronto in a move like this.
Randle is an elite scorer and rebounder with experience playing next to Mitchell Robinson. The Raptors try to upgrade on both ends of the floor and get off of Poeltl’s contract. They are increasing their talent and creating more options if they decide to alter their roster further.
Adding Randle and Robinson likely does not make them title contenders, but having an elite scorer and stout rim protector are important pieces. This could be a deal that sets up another move. The Knicks would add another defensive stopper and a versatile big man plus more draft capital.
The Toronto Raptors' best move may be paying handsomely for a two-way wing, and the Nets may finally be convinced to move on this summer.