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Ill offer this idea for Raptors get get out of tax apron while Brooklyn leverages short term cap space to land another pick

To Brooklyn
-Ochai Agbaji (1 year, $6.4 million plus QO)
-2026 Los Angeles Lakers 2nd round pick

To Toronto
-Dariq Whitehead (1 year, $3.2 million plus T.O.)

Raptors are $2.8 million into tax apron and with this deal get out of it by swapping SG/SFs, one under last year of rookie deal and one on 2nd last year.

I cant see TOR doing this. Ya, getting out of the tax would be nice - but Ochai had a near 50/40 season, has decent defensive advanced stats and is still young. Has the makings of potentially being a legit 3/D guy.

They should try to move RJ for Kuzma (Cuts 5M for TOR) before doing something like this IMO.

Ochai has a better chance of being a long term rotation guy in TOR than RJ IMO.

Spotrac has them $2.8M into the tax but with 15 players signed and 2 of them on non guarantees. So they can waive one of those guys and then midseason dump someone and backfill with a pro rated minimum. Or some combo of moves. Point is, they're so easily able to get under the tax that there's no need to make a trade like this with that as the motivation.

BlazersBroncos wrote:I cant see TOR doing this. Ya, getting out of the tax would be nice - but Ochai had a near 50/40 season, has decent defensive advanced stats and is still young. Has the makings of potentially being a legit 3/D guy.

They should try to move RJ for Kuzma (Cuts 5M for TOR) before doing something like this IMO.

Ochai has a better chance of being a long term rotation guy in TOR than RJ IMO.

Whitehead is listed at 6'6", 220 while Agbaji is 6'5", 215. He can further develop at the 3 as he is 4 years younger than Agbaji. Agbaji had a impressive 60% TS last but Whitehead has a 58% TS and arguably has a higher ceiling. Defensively, Id rank them as equal.

hugepatsfan wrote:Spotrac has them $2.8M into the tax but with 15 players signed and 2 of them on non guarantees. So they can waive one of those guys and then midseason dump someone and backfill with a pro rated minimum. Or some combo of moves. Point is, they're so easily able to get under the tax that there's no need to make a trade like this with that as the motivation.

Theyre likely going to keep Lawson and Battle as part of 15 man roster.

Bentley1225 wrote:

BlazersBroncos wrote:I cant see TOR doing this. Ya, getting out of the tax would be nice - but Ochai had a near 50/40 season, has decent defensive advanced stats and is still young. Has the makings of potentially being a legit 3/D guy.

They should try to move RJ for Kuzma (Cuts 5M for TOR) before doing something like this IMO.

Ochai has a better chance of being a long term rotation guy in TOR than RJ IMO.

Whitehead is listed at 6'6", 220 while Agbaji is 6'5", 215. He can further develop at the 3 as he is 4 years younger than Agbaji. Agbaji had an impressive 60% TS last but Whitehead has a 58% TS and arguably has a higher ceiling. Defensively, Id rank them as equal.

Whitehead has played 270 total NBA minutes, you can’t use his stats in an argument. He’s totally hypothetical at this point

balsamic_ducks wrote:

Bentley1225 wrote:

BlazersBroncos wrote:I cant see TOR doing this. Ya, getting out of the tax would be nice - but Ochai had a near 50/40 season, has decent defensive advanced stats and is still young. Has the makings of potentially being a legit 3/D guy.

They should try to move RJ for Kuzma (Cuts 5M for TOR) before doing something like this IMO.

Ochai has a better chance of being a long term rotation guy in TOR than RJ IMO.

Whitehead is listed at 6'6", 220 while Agbaji is 6'5", 215. He can further develop at the 3 as he is 4 years younger than Agbaji. Agbaji had an impressive 60% TS last but Whitehead has a 58% TS and arguably has a higher ceiling. Defensively, Id rank them as equal.

Whitehead has played 270 total NBA minutes, you can’t use his stats in an argument. He’s totally hypothetical at this point

Is Agbaji the better player at this point?, yes. Does Whitehead potentially have a higher ceiling, yes. Im aware he's still raw. A 25 year old wing vs. a 21 year old is a big enough gap in terms of development window. Bottom line is, both guys are career rotational wings. The OP is more a financial move than a basketball move.

Agbaji is one of the few guys I actually want the Raps to keep....
I just cant see the Raps moving off from him unless his extension gets crazy expensive.

RJ for Kuzma is a good idea to save tax actually.

Should Toronto even give a pick here?

I wouldn't do this deal with Ochai being the clear superior player even with the tax move.

It's an easy no for the Raps especially because they play essentially the same position. If it was for a legit backup C, then it makes a little more sense.

But this is a no

Mavrelous wrote:RJ for Kuzma is a good idea to save tax actually.

If I'm the Bucks, I take that call.

Mavrelous wrote:RJ for Kuzma is a good idea to save tax actually.

Ya - surprised its not tossed around more.

RJ would fit MIL better since he can play SF and facilitate a bit. Kuzma saves TOR money and can be a bench chucker.

G - Cole Anthony / Kevin Porter JR / Ryan Rollins
G - Gary Trent JR / Kevin Porter JR / AJ Green
F - RJ Barrett / Taurean Prince / Gary Harris / Andre Jackson JR
F - Giannis / Bobby Portis / Tyler Smith
C - Myles Turner / Bobby Portis / Jericho Simms

G - IQ / Ja'Kobe Walter / Jamal Shead
G - Ochai Agbaji / Gradey Dick / Ja'Kobe Walter
F - Brandon Ingram / CMB / Jamison Battle
F - Scottie Barnes / Kyle Kuzma / Jonathan Mogbo
C - Jakob Poeltl / Mamu

So the Raptors give up a quality role player and pick for a project player. That ain’t going to get it done.

penbeast0 wrote:

Mavrelous wrote:RJ for Kuzma is a good idea to save tax actually.

If I'm the Bucks, I take that call.

Wouldn't make that call as toronto. Have no room at PF for kuzma/its a big downgrade on court for us.

BlazersBroncos wrote:

Mavrelous wrote:RJ for Kuzma is a good idea to save tax actually.

Ya - surprised its not tossed around more.

RJ would fit MIL better since he can play SF and facilitate a bit. Kuzma saves TOR money and can be a bench chucker.

G - Cole Anthony / Kevin Porter JR / Ryan Rollins
G - Gary Trent JR / Kevin Porter JR / AJ Green
F - RJ Barrett / Taurean Prince / Gary Harris / Andre Jackson JR
F - Giannis / Bobby Portis / Tyler Smith
C - Myles Turner / Bobby Portis / Jericho Simms

G - IQ / Ja'Kobe Walter / Jamal Shead
G - Ochai Agbaji / Gradey Dick / Ja'Kobe Walter
F - Brandon Ingram / CMB / Jamison Battle
F - Scottie Barnes / Kyle Kuzma / Jonathan Mogbo
C - Jakob Poeltl / Mamu

Its not tossed around here because RJ is way better and we are trying to win this year. CMB is our backup 4 and Agbaji our backup 3

I think a lot of teams would give an asset to gwt him in their MLE, etc.

Maybe at the deadline if Agbaji doesn't increase his volume on 3 point attempts, but as getting out of the tax constitutes most of the value offered here, I'd be in no rush as the Raptors.

Bentley1225 wrote:

balsamic_ducks wrote:
Whitehead has played 270 total NBA minutes, you can’t use his stats in an argument. He’s totally hypothetical at this point

Is Agbaji the better player at this point?, yes. Does Whitehead potentially have a higher ceiling, yes. Im aware he's still raw. A 25 year old wing vs. a 21 year old is a big enough gap in terms of development window. Bottom line is, both guys are career rotational wings. The OP is more a financial move than a basketball move.

Agbaji should be rotational . Whitehead might not .

I could see a contender valuing Agbaji as wing depth. I think he has more value than this.