Raptors Discussion: v97 Raptor's 2024-2025 - Training camp begins Oct. 1

[hockeywiz542]

SIMMONS SAYS: Luring Kevin Durant to Toronto is kind of challenge Masai Ujiri loves

It’s not just a question for the championship vision of Masai Ujiri, but for the great and wayward, Kevin Durant, looking for the right place to complete his NBA le…

torontosun.com

It’s not just a question for the championship vision of Masai Ujiri, but for the great and wayward, Kevin Durant, looking for the right place to complete his NBA legacy.

So why not Toronto and why not the Raptors?

This isn’t a one-and-done proposition the way Ujiri cleverly manoeuvred Kawhi Leonard out of San Antonio and into that one stunning Raptors championship season. This is Durant loudly declaring he wants out of Brooklyn, still as the most dynamic player and maybe unstoppable player in the NBA, looking for at least four more seasons and with the possibilities for the Raptors rather endless.

This much we know about Ujiri: With Durant on the block, Masai is putting together some kind of offer to entice the Nets. He may not be Durant’s first choice — typically it looks like great weather, great team spots like Miami and Phoenix are high on the 7-footer’s list — but the Raptors have the kind of depth, strength, and able bodies to be able to make a trade of consequence for Durant while maintaining enough of a roster to compete for an NBA championship.

This is the game Ujiri loves to play. Tell him he can’t do something and then stay tuned. Tell him he’s not in the ballpark and instinctually he finds a way to climb whatever mountain can appear impossible. Toronto is not an NBA mecca. It is not, for the most part, anybody’s first choice of where to play. It is Ujiri who came to the Raptors and promised and delivered on his championship mantra and upon signing his latest contract has promised there will be more.

Putting together a package for Durant, one of the greatest players in NBA history, is what Ujiri is capable of. Would it include Pascal Siakam and a whole lot more? Probably? Or Scottie Barnes and a whole lot more? Maybe.

Maybe not. But it’s Masai and the longest of shots — so you never rule him out.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[phillipmike]

Full circle? Grevis was traded for 2 picks that turned out to be OG and Norm. Norm was traded for Trent. OG and Trent for KD?

 

[phillipmike]

Kevin Durant trade rumors: Ranking seven linked suitors based on packages and fit from Heat to Suns to Warriors | Sporting News

A number of teams will put their best offers on the table in hopes of having a chance at Kevin Durant. Look no further than the betting odds to see that this will be much more than a two-team race.

www.sportingnews.com

2. Raptors​

The package: OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., Precious Achiuwa, Malachi Flynn, multiple first-round picks

The pitch: The proof is in the results. It's not quite an apples-to-apples comparison, but this franchise has a pretty good track record with trading for disgruntled superstars, winning a title with Kawhi Leonard in 2018-19

MORE: Raptors 'lurking' as potential landing spot for Kevin Durant

With the way that the Raptors roster is structured, they can part ways with the talent required to acquire Durant and still have a championship-caliber team.

Masai Ujiri is one of the best executives in professional sports for a reason — any deal to acquire Durant would be extremely calculated, well-thought-out, and probably wouldn't include Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes.

 

[TMLAM34]

Kevin Durant trade rumors: Ranking seven linked suitors based on packages and fit from Heat to Suns to Warriors | Sporting News

A number of teams will put their best offers on the table in hopes of having a chance at Kevin Durant. Look no further than the betting odds to see that this will be much more than a two-team race.

www.sportingnews.com

Imagine that happens, we sign Thomas Bryant and he stays healthy…

VanVleet - Durant - Barnes - Siakam - Bryant

Wow

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Dr.Funk]

 

[razor ray]

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

Is Durant even still good enough? I don't want basketball so idk just asking

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[stickty111]

Is Durant even still good enough? I don't want basketball so idk just asking

Still a superstar even at 34

 

[hockeywiz542]

Here is a summary of what Marc Stein and Eric Pincus said regarding a potential Kevin Durant trade.

This information is courtesy of some posters from another forum:

- 3 team trades are always too complex

- Brooklyn is not in a rush, and currently has tons of leverage

- Brooklyn Nets don't have to trade Kevin Durant to Phoenix or Miami

- Nets want to move on from Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant but are looking for the best trade out there

- Marc Stein brought up Toronto as doing a deal for Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets getting younger players in return

- Stein mentions that the designated rookie extension favours Toronto. The Raptors have lots of options to present in trades.

- Assumes Toronto wouldn't trade Scottie Barnes (duh) ... the Raptors don't need to rush to chase a ring for that.

- Marc Stein is on his Spotify live complaining about aggregators "misaggregations"

- Marc Stein is denying that the Raptors are making everyone available in particular Scottie Barnes

- Point was Raps don't have designated rookie contracts, thus have more options to offer was his point

- for the Brooklyn Nets, they would do a Kevin Durant deal for younger guys that are good, rather than the Utah Jazz route of all draft picks

 

[hockeywiz542]

Nets are patient to find premium return in exchange for Kevin Durant

For the Nets, trading Kevin Durant correctly is a lot more important than doing it quickly.

nypost.com

For the Nets, trading Kevin Durant correctly is a lot more important than doing it quickly.

League personnel who spoke to The Post said Nets general manager Sean Marks — and by default team owner Joe Tsai as well — are adamant about getting back All-Star caliber talent in return for Durant. And with their disgruntled star having four years left on his contract, the Nets are in no rush to deal.

The Nets obviously can’t get like-for-like value for Durant, or bring an MVP back to Brooklyn. But the Nets are aiming high — reportedly eying the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns or Anthony Edwards — so they’ve told opposing GMs to loop third and even fourth teams into the mix to cobble together the pieces they want.

So far, league sources have said nothing is imminent, or even at the advanced stage.

Durant has expressed a preference for Phoenix and Miami, with Marks and Tsai at least somewhat willing to work with Durant and business partner Rich Kleiman. But seemingly every contender has touched base on Durant, with some even showing tepid interest in Kyrie Irving. Philadelphia spoke with the Nets, although a source told The Post “nothing happened there.”

League executives who spoke with The Post said Toronto was not only well-positioned, but confident of being able to put together the best package. The Raptors have balked at the notion of putting Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes in any deal, although those same executives opined that could be a negotiating ploy by savvy Masai Ujiri, who has a history of pulling off huge trades.

................

It seems clear the Heat and Suns don’t have the pieces to entice Marks, although Phoenix might have the assets to get them; ie, reroute Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, a trove of first-round draft picks and swaps, and a sign-and-trade for center Deandre Ayton.

That could mean sending most of that package to Utah and having young Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell — a New York native — end up in Brooklyn. Former Nets GM Bobby Marks — now an ESPN front office insider — opined about separating that aforementioned Suns package, with Ayton heading to Indiana while Pacers center Myles Turner joined Johnson, Bridges and a host of picks in Brooklyn.

Wherever Durant ends up, this process will likely grind free agency to a crawl, the same way the Kawhi Leonard saga did three summers ago. When Leonard agreed to join the Clippers on the condition they added Oklahoma City forward Paul George, L.A. had to ship assets to the Thunder.

A similar scenario could be playing out now, with the entire league watching to see the intersection of Durant’s wants and Brooklyn’s needs.

 

[donghabs98]

What great photoshop work!

 

[PostBradMalone]

It's a risk sure, but Masai has the smarts and guile to build out a non-Barnes, FVV and even Siakam package that can still interest the Nets while not totally gutting the bench. If I had to guess I'd say Durant and Harris for OG, Trent, Flynn, and unprotected 1sts in 2023, 2025, and '27 plus swap options in '24 and '26:

SF- Durant
PF- Lillard (After opting out- we all saw his IG story)
SG- Barnes
PG- FVV
C- Siakam

SF- Porter Jr.
PF- Boucher
SG- Harris
PG- Brooks
C- Birch

We in GSW territory cap-wise but that lineup is a monster.

 

[Stephen]

I'm guessing you could get Durant on side to insist Barnes stay out of the package.

Toronto: "we won't trade you Barnes but we'll do X, Y, Z."

Durant: "I will go to Toronto but you don't get Barnes because I want to play with him."

If this condition isn't met, no deal.

 

[rdogg]

I don't want to see KD if it involves trading Barnes!

Anyone else can get traded

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[razor ray]

I don't want to see KD if it involves trading Barnes!

Anyone else can get traded

It will be OG and Precious as well as some picks. Durant wants a shot to win a title not have a team gutted for him.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Adrian Wojnarowski was on ESPN just a few moments ago.

Here is what Adrian Wojnarowski had to say regarding a potential Kevin Durant trade:

- Brooklyn Nets are trying to outline the Kevin Durant deal, Rudy Gobert deal helps frame it

- Nets want an all-star level player

- Miami and Phoenix can't do 1 on 1 deals

- Market still taking shape

- Standstill in the NBA right now

 

[TheRumble]

LMAO.

Man, the sports world is not prepared for Durant on the Raptors.

I dunno if any of you closely follow the Raptors or the NBA but:

- Durant is probably one of the most hated guys in the NBA
- Raptor fans - and I include myself in this group, are the most active online fanbase among NBA fans due to lack of attention from American and Canadian sports media so most of them engage online. Imagine the insecurity of Oiler fans on HFBoards combined with the smug self assuredness of the Don Cherry wannabes on this board.

 

[mapleleafs34]

You do whatever it takes to get Durant without having to move Scottie.

Figure out the rest after

 

[Eyedea]

I was initially hesitant to include Siakam in a deal for Durant, but maybe a Siakam + OG + pick for Durant + Curry seals it for me if they can then go out and grab Ayton for GTJ + pick(s).

FVV
Curry
Durant
Barnes
Ayton

Flynn
OPJ
Thad
Boucher
Achiuwa