Free Agency & Trades Thread **NOW OPEN**

[grant101]

I would definitely do this:

RJ + 9th pick for Cam Johnson + 19th pick

Cam Johnson will be a great piece next to Barnes and Ingram. We can still get a rotation piece at 19; possible guys like Flemming will be there, along with maybe even Coward, Gonzalez, Clayton, Wolf, Raynaud etc.

Make it: RJ. 9th, 39th pick for Cam Johnson, 19th, 26th and I'm in! Saves us some salary cap money, and saves BKN having to dole out another guaranteed salary (i.e. even more flexibility to make moves)

You guys think Cam Johnson is that much if an upgrade over RJ to drop 10 spots in the draft? Thats a no for me unless its part of a bigger Giannis trade.

I think you missed that I would only do it if we could secure BKN's 26th pick as well, and only if nobody drops at 9. I just don't see the talent gap between 9 and 19 that seems to be freaking ppl out. That said, I think there's a distinct chance that 2nd round gems like Yang, Markovic and Penda are all gone by #39.

I do agree, however, that you prioritize a Giannis deal.

[Landomar]

RJ and 9 for Cam Johnson and 19 is a pretty good trade in a vacuum. It really depends who's still on the board at 9 and at 19. If we were able to get Sorber or Fleming at 19, and no one unexpected falls to 9, then I think it would be a good move (mostly because I'd be happy ending up with either of those guys at 9, assuming the guys I have ranked higher are all gone). The trade also frees up some room under the luxury tax, which would be helpful in terms of making other possible moves.

I see Johnson as a forward, and would want to use him in a 3 player rotation with Ingram and Barnes across SF and PF.

Quickley / Shead / Small*
Agbaji / Walter / Lawson
Ingram / Dick / Battle
Barnes / Johnson / Mogbo
Poeltl / *Sorber / Castleton

*example where we draft Sorber at 19 and Javon Small at 39

I do think this is a hard trade to do in practice, because you'd probably have to agree to the trade before you pick at 9, and at that point you don't know who's still going to be available at 19.

[Raptaurus]

Would trade the ninth pick and RJ to BKN to for Cam Johnson and Brooklyn’s 19th and 26th picks.

Cam is a better fit than RJ on the Raps.

[Raptorfan2012]

I would definitely do this:

RJ + 9th pick for Cam Johnson + 19th pick

Cam Johnson will be a great piece next to Barnes and Ingram. We can still get a rotation piece at 19; possible guys like Flemming will be there, along with maybe even Coward, Gonzalez, Clayton, Wolf, Raynaud etc.

Make it: RJ. 9th, 39th pick for Cam Johnson, 19th, 26th and I'm in! Saves us some salary cap money, and saves BKN having to dole out another guaranteed salary (i.e. even more flexibility to make moves)

You guys think Cam Johnson is that much if an upgrade over RJ to drop 10 spots in the draft? Thats a no for me unless its part of a bigger Giannis trade.

Yes, I think Cam is being underrated here; Cam fits our team much better than RJ; bigger, shoots the 3 better, and can play better defense. Say Raptors want Flemming or Coward or a back up C; very likely those guys will still be there at 19, so you can actually pay them less. If this is not enough, do another pick swap between 39 and 26 or 27. And as much as I want to dream about Giannis, the chances of us pulling a trade with the Bucks is low IMO.

[Lord_Zedd]

Later 1st round picks are starting to lose value ever since NIL gone full swing, and we're already seeing the effects with many sophmore/juniors returning to college and worsening the draft talent pool.

There's a reason why Brooklyn wants to trade its later picks, and using Cam Johnson to do so.

[Gavin_TDThree]

Raps odds for KAT

Let's say Giannis doesn't work out. KAT would actually be a really good fit next to Scottie in terms of spacing/offence. The defence is a major issue though with KAT. Does SB's help side /off ball defence make up for some of it?

Knicks were 13th in defensive rating. Granted they had OG, Hart, and Bridges who are all viewed as + defenders

Read on Twitter

[Tor_Raps]

Raps odds for KAT

Let's say Giannis doesn't work out. KAT would actually be a really good fit next to Scottie in terms of spacing/offence. The defence is a major issue though with KAT. Does SB's help side /off ball defence make up for some of it?

Knicks were 13th in defensive rating. Granted they had OG, Hart, and Bridges who are all viewed as + defenders

Read on Twitter

Knicks might be shortsighted enough to trade KAT for a declining KD lol.

[grant101]

Later 1st round picks are starting to lose value ever since NIL gone full swing, and we're already seeing the effects with many sophmore/juniors returning to college and worsening the draft talent pool.

There's a reason why Brooklyn wants to trade its later picks, and using Cam Johnson to do so.

I agree with this, but we're not talking about drafts in general. We're talking about this draft in particular. I think there are some real contributors available at 26/27 that are unlikely to be there at 39. This mitigates some of what's lost by moving back from 9 to 19, where I don't see much discrepency in talent (assuming of course that a top 6 prospect drops to 9).

[Asif16]

I think Cam Johnson is 100% a better fit with Scottie and Ingram but i dont think the talent discrepancy between RJ/Johnson is worth falling down 10 spots

[HangTime]

I think Cam Johnson is 100% a better fit with Scottie and Ingram but i dont think the talent discrepancy between RJ/Johnson is worth falling down 10 spots

There's also about $7 Million less in salary.

I could see something

RJ, #9, #39
For
Cam, #19, #26/or #27, #36

[Psubs]

Raps odds for KAT

Let's say Giannis doesn't work out. KAT would actually be a really good fit next to Scottie in terms of spacing/offence. The defence is a major issue though with KAT. Does SB's help side /off ball defence make up for some of it?

Knicks were 13th in defensive rating. Granted they had OG, Hart, and Bridges who are all viewed as + defenders

Read on Twitter

But how do you match salaries? Poeltl, then who, send RJ Barrett back?

[Gavin_TDThree]

Raps odds for KAT

Let's say Giannis doesn't work out. KAT would actually be a really good fit next to Scottie in terms of spacing/offence. The defence is a major issue though with KAT. Does SB's help side /off ball defence make up for some of it?

Knicks were 13th in defensive rating. Granted they had OG, Hart, and Bridges who are all viewed as + defenders

Read on Twitter

But how do you match salaries? Poeltl, then who, send RJ Barrett back?

It'd have to be a 3-team trade for sure. Call up a team like Utah or Washtinon and see if they want RJ

KAT to TOR
RJ to WAS
JP to NY
Marcus Smart to NY

picks to sweeten

[Troubadour]

Trading a lottery pick to get a nearly 30-year old Cam Johnson after trading Pascal Siakam because he was about to turn 30 is irony too rich for me.

[Tripod]

I think Cam Johnson is 100% a better fit with Scottie and Ingram but i dont think the talent discrepancy between RJ/Johnson is worth falling down 10 spots

There's also about $7 Million less in salary.

I could see something

RJ, #9, #39
For
Cam, #19, #26/or #27, #36

Then use that cap savings to sign Kornet

[TorontoRapsFan]

Barnes, IQ, 2026 & 2028 picks for Giannies and Bobby Portis.

Pick up a shooting point guard like thus jones, draft a pg (or Maluach) and leave it for the season

Poeltl
Giannis
Ingram
Rj
Jones
Grady
Portis
Ochai
Shead
Walter
Mogbo
2025 draft
Battle (i think he'll get farther up in rotation cause with Ingram's addition alone, there is more opportunities for spot up shooters like him)

[Scott Hall]

This would be the final gut punch for the season from hell...

- Get destroyed by injuries and are looking at the 5th worst lotto odds

- Team doesn't tank properly down the stretch and falls to 7th worst lotto odds

- Team gets screwed in lottery and falls to 9th in the draft


The team then trades for the 19th pick and Cam Johnson who they can't absorb his contract and would have to trade RJ Barrett.

The trade doesn't move the needle at all and doesn't make the Raptors a better team and they take themselves out of a position where a great player could potentially slip to 9.

And of course a chunk of our fan base thinks this is a great idea *face palm*

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[Raptorfan2012]

This would be the final gut punch for the season from hell...

- Get destroyed by injuries and are looking at the 5th worst lotto odds

- Team doesn't tank properly down the stretch and falls to 7th worst lotto odds

- Team gets screwed in lottery and falls to 9th in the draft


The team then trades for the 19th pick and Cam Johnson who they can't absorb his contract and would have to trade RJ Barrett.

The trade doesn't move the needle at all and doesn't make the Raptors a better team and they take themselves out of a position where a great player could potentially slip to 9.

And of course a chunk of our fan base thinks this is a great idea *face palm*

Sent from my SM-G965W using RealGM mobile app

You only execute this trade on Draft Night and if no one you really like remains at 9 and you think the players you scouted that you did like will still be available at 19. Cam Johnson is a better player than RJ Barrett and will be cheaper in the long run. Pick swaps, future picks etc can always be added.

[Scott Hall]

This would be the final gut punch for the season from hell...

- Get destroyed by injuries and are looking at the 5th worst lotto odds

- Team doesn't tank properly down the stretch and falls to 7th worst lotto odds

- Team gets screwed in lottery and falls to 9th in the draft


The team then trades for the 19th pick and Cam Johnson who they can't absorb his contract and would have to trade RJ Barrett.

The trade doesn't move the needle at all and doesn't make the Raptors a better team and they take themselves out of a position where a great player could potentially slip to 9.

And of course a chunk of our fan base thinks this is a great idea *face palm*

Sent from my SM-G965W using RealGM mobile app

You only execute this trade on Draft Night and if no one you really like remains at 9 and you think the players you scouted that you did like will still be available at 19. Cam Johnson is a better player than RJ Barrett and will be cheaper in the long run. Pick swaps, future picks etc can always be added.

Like I said this trade idea doesn't move the needle at all the Raptors will be no better or nor worse after it.

Cam Johnson is a recyclable bin role player and is 4-5 years older then RJ Barrett. I'll take the RJ that grew this year as a playmaker and defender over an average role player that would be a bench player on any good team and has already peaked.

We'd literally be giving up the better draft pick and better player in this trade lol

Rather trade the pick and/or RJ in a Giannis trade or a big splash like that then throw it away on a pointless trade that makes us older.

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[treerollins]

why trade for cam when we could just draft bryant and have the same concept with cost control and better athleticism. garbage trade proposal. ingram as our starting 2 guard is also laughable. and rasheer fleming is not that dude.

[grant101]

This would be the final gut punch for the season from hell...

- Get destroyed by injuries and are looking at the 5th worst lotto odds

- Team doesn't tank properly down the stretch and falls to 7th worst lotto odds

- Team gets screwed in lottery and falls to 9th in the draft


The team then trades for the 19th pick and Cam Johnson who they can't absorb his contract and would have to trade RJ Barrett.

The trade doesn't move the needle at all and doesn't make the Raptors a better team and they take themselves out of a position where a great player could potentially slip to 9.

And of course a chunk of our fan base thinks this is a great idea *face palm*

Sent from my SM-G965W using RealGM mobile app

The 9th pick is a sunk cost. I would have preferred we took tanking more seriously, but it is what it is. Not making a move because of it risks succumbing o the sunk cost fallacy. Like I've repeated a number of times: you don't make this move till you know who is available at 9. If a higher tier prospect like Fears or Kon drops, then great. If not, then you think about the trade.

Ultimately the question comes down to who specifically are you worried we pass up on. I've looked at this draft class for a while now and I just don't think there's much of a downgrade from 9 to 19. If you think otherwise, fine, but I still see a lot of generalities about what a downgrade it would be, but no specifics as to why. Who exactly do you think we'd be missing out on, cause I'm not seeing much star potential with the names being tossed around at 9. For example, if we missed on Queen but pick up Traore is that a huge downgrade? What about Fleming vs.Coward? If you can convert RJ into a better fit and pick up a later first round in addition to 19, then I think it's worth considering