Since the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Nique Clifford for pennies on the dollar from the Sacramento Kings, I’ve been looking for cheap young trade targets for the Toronto Raptors.
After perusing the NBA on several trade-machine websites, I landed on Utah Jazz big man Kyle Filipowski. The third-year big man was, for the most part, out of the Jazz rotation until their two most recent games, where he finally got some extended burn from Will Hardy. With Utah’s season already heading for the gutter at a 1-10 record, they could be open for business soon, and if they are, the Raptors should look to take a flier on Flip.
I was never one of those people who were super high on Filipowski to start his NBA career or even when he was playing at the collegiate level with Duke. However, I’ve understood the intrigue. At 6-foot-11, he has a solid handle, can create his own offense, and knock down the outside jumper. Adding his tools to the Raptors' big rotation could bring some much-needed offensive versatility.
Still on his second-round rookie contract, Filipowski could be an affordable trade target at roughly $3 million, with plenty of upside as an impact role player.
Kyle Filipowski could bring added versatility to the Raptors frontcourt
With Collin Murray-Boyles and Jakob Poeltl, the Raptors can check a ton of boxes from a traditional center standpoint. Between the two, they have plenty of rebounding, rim protection, play finishing, and screening, along with the added stuff they both bring as passers. But what if the Raptors get with the times and add a floor-spacing giant to the mix, especially when it can come for so cheap?
Across 149 games in his first two NBA seasons, Filipowski averaged 10.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 33.7 percent from three.
Offensively, Filipowski blends a good combination of ball skills for his size with inside finishing touch, an outside shooting stroke, and an impressive passing feel. Adding a true pick-and-pop big who can also burn defenses as a roller and play finisher would give the Raptors' second unit an offensive look they aren’t used to having. Then you factor in his passing feel and ability to make quick reads as a passer in the short roll, and the excitement for his potential fit in Toronto only gets higher.
Defensively, Flip is okay. He has good shot-blocking instincts and the length to go with those instincts, but he can be slow-footed and get burned when defending screens and rolls. But given the Raptors' defensive personnel, they wouldn’t necessarily need him to stress too much about his limitations, especially given the offensive upside he’d be providing.
By my calculation, two second-round picks and Trayce Jackson-Davis could be enough to convince Utah to move Filipowski. Sure, they could turn their season around, but a 1-10 start is daunting, and with Filipowski already not being part of their rotation when they’re at full strength, he feels like an expendable asset for the Jazz.
When you’re pressed right up against the cap in the way the Raptors are, you have to find unique angles to make trades and improve their roster. Filipowski being on a cheap deal, seemingly falling out of his current team's plans, and possessing a skill set that could complement the Raptors' roster gives Toronto three compelling reasons to pursue the former Duke big.
Add us as a preferred source on Google