Windhorst: Raptors making noise around the league looking for a “big fish” // Giannis & Toronto "Mutual Interest"/KD too

[JB7]

Mobley is amazing, but I also feel he's getting overrated. He's the third scoring option on his team. He'd look a lot worse in Scottie's role. He's basically Miami Chris Bosh on offence. I don't see him ever have two-way superstar impact.

I won't deny that he is in the perfect situation but that is A LOT of people overrating him then. DPOY, All-NBA, 2x All-Defensive. All-Star.

He's an elite defender and an All-Star. He just wouldn't be someone who would turn this team's fortunes around. We'd still be out here looking for that superstar to lead our offence. I'd rather have Mobley than Scottie, obviously. So would Masai. But we wouldn't be in a drastically different position right now if you swapped the two.

And Masai was interested in Mobley over Barnes, because he already had at the time Pascal, Fred and OG. Mobley would have complimented them better.

But if you're the Bucks, starting from the ground floor with nothing but Dame coming off an Achilles injury at age 36 (when he returns next season), I don't know that I would want Mobley to be alone as that starting piece to build from, especially if Barnes is on the table.

[ArthurVandelay]

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Who could Knicks offer?

I'm thinking OG or Mikal + KAT

That source is Bucks equivalent of Grange or Dougie

[sidsid]

Need to have some rumours of who Giannis is colluding with. Durant has been the most likely on our end just because we probably wouldn't have the assets to pull off a younger star after the Giannis trade.

Imagine if it was Ja? Don't think a Jak/IQ package is pushing the needle there for Memphis. Would they care about BI?

[CPT]

Also seeing a lot of people trying to trade RJ, and although he has his flaws I’d be more inclined to move IQ. We need a point guard who can get after it defensively. Masai has a lot of pieces to shuffle, I’m really interested in seeing how he tries to elevate our roster to contender status. I don’t see anything transpiring.. our bench is too inexperienced and our starting 5 needs more shooting. Shead could have a good year and step up, but we need more at the backup forwards and centre position.

I’d love to have a 3&D PG, but I’d still rather have Quickley as a combo guard off of the bench than RJ as anything.

3&D PG? You mean like Jamal Shead? A lotta people writing him off as a PG of the future

I like Shead. I’d also like my 3&D PG to be able to shoot 3s.

[mihaic]

Read on Twitter

Who could Knicks offer?

I'm thinking OG or Mikal + KAT

That source is Bucks equivalent of Grange or Dougie

I prefer the Logion Hoops source.

[mihaic]

Need to have some rumours of who Giannis is colluding with. Durant has been the most likely on our end just because we probably wouldn't have the assets to pull off a younger star after the Giannis trade.

Imagine if it was Ja? Don't think a Jak/IQ package is pushing the needle there for Memphis. Would they care about BI?

Iq, rj and picks could do it. They don't need Poeltl.

Ja/Shead, Jakobe/Ochai, Ingram/Battle/Dick, Scottie/Mogbo, Poeltl.

Or replace RJ or IQ, with Dick and ochai.

Not sure how good that is in the frontcourt. But if it can be done without a lot of picks, why not, you can trade Scottie and picks later.

[mtcan]

Are you saying IQ hasn't played 40 games in 3 years?

HUH?
He played 68 games the season he got traded split between NY and Toronto and would have played more if we weren't tanking.

Before that he played 81 games and 74 games in the 2 seasons prior.

Playing 33 games this past season was a combination of bad luck with his elbow injury in game 1 of the season and the blatant tanking effort just sitting him out.

I expect IQ to play 60-80 games next season.

He hasn’t played over 40 games in each of his last 3 seasons is what I meant. I don’t care what he did 4 seasons ago.. tank or not.

He is a 38% 3pt shooter which is good, but can’t take his man off the dribble, and he is not a great POA defender. Couple that with his availability, is that what you want from a starting PG on a championship calibre team? Would he want to be a 6th man again? I doubt it.

He played 81 games in 2022-23 , 68 games in 2023-24, and 38 games in 2024-25.

You're looking at the time he split in NYK/TOR in 2023/24 as two different seasons.

That is exactly what I was trying to say...lol

[Tripod]

Mobley isn't overrated, he is just in an almost perfect spot for his abilities and needs. He gets to play with an All Star C and 2 guards who can create and give him lots of easy baskets.

He absolutely gets credit for his 3pt shot getting much better and his own defense. Some of that defense is his physical size that others just can't replicate. And as stated by others, he gets to be 3rd option on offense...even 4th some nights when Jerome was on heaters.

Barnes from day 1 we have said he will do better with more shooting around him. He upped his defense this year and that should be his main focus...like Mobley.

This year barring no trades(except adding a real backup C), we have 4 guys who could lead the team on scoring on any given night depending on who gets hot and matchups we can exploit. I don't care who it is if it means we are winning lots of games playing unselfish bball. Let's have a balanced attack...much like the Pacers.

[NoBias]

He hasn’t played over 40 games in each of his last 3 seasons is what I meant. I don’t care what he did 4 seasons ago.. tank or not.

He is a 38% 3pt shooter which is good, but can’t take his man off the dribble, and he is not a great POA defender. Couple that with his availability, is that what you want from a starting PG on a championship calibre team? Would he want to be a 6th man again? I doubt it.

He played 81 games in 2022-23 , 68 games in 2023-24, and 38 games in 2024-25.

You're looking at the time he split in NYK/TOR in 2023/24 as two different seasons.

That is exactly what I was trying to say...lol

I stand corrected. Just don’t see him lasting long on this team. Hope I’m wrong.

[WuTang_CMB]

Stein

Is that sound you hear the Toronto Raptors' music?

There have been numerous rumblings about the Raptors' interest in joining the eventual Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes … provided that the Bucks' perennial MVP candidate actually asks out of Milwaukee at some stage. Masai Ujiri's affinity for Antetokounmpo is an open secret around the league, so you can rest assured that the Raptors have already registered their interest.

That said …

"Every team has called Milwaukee," said one source close to the situation.

But Toronto has likewise been painted by numerous NBA figures as a potential trade suitor for Durant … particularly if Antetokounmpo doesn't reach the open market. The Raptors, furthermore, would figure to have a more realistic shot at assembling a competitive trade offer for Durant compared to the mammoth offers that the Bucks would inevitably seek for Antetokounmpo's services. The Greek Freak also happens to be six years younger than Durant, is still playing at an MVP level and, most crucially, has two more guaranteed years left on his contract.

The Raptors were in a different place as a franchise in the summer of 2018, but who can forget Ujiri's willingness to gamble on the one remaining guaranteed season on Kawhi Leonard's contract when Toronto traded for Leonard? The combination of Leonard's murky health status at the time and his close proximity to free agency certainly affected the trade return that the Spurs were able to command for their All-Star forward. When it comes to Durant, though, be advised that Toronto also pursued him during the 2022 offseason when he first sought a trade away from Brooklyn, according to league sources.

There is a strong sense in some corners of the league that this Toronto front office is under some tangible pressure to take a significant step toward competitiveness in the far-less-imposing Eastern Conference … even after they just made a midseason splash to acquire Brandon Ingram from New Orleans. (There is also much curiosity, for that matter, about the recent interest Atlanta expressed in Ujiri for its ongoing president of basketball operations vacancy.)

The Raptors, thanks to the aforementioned pressure, are generally expected to be active on this summer's trade market, which could establish RJ Barrett’s $27 million salary as a key element to any forthcoming salary cap math. Sources say Barrett was indeed discussed with New Orleans during the Raptors' trade conversations that ultimately landed Ingram from the Pelicans for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk and one future first- and second-round pick. Between Barrett and veteran center Jakob Poeltl this summer, Toronto could get to nearly $50 million in outgoing salary relatively easily.


The Raptors also hold the No. 9 pick in this month's draft. Handicapping how the top half of this year's lottery will play out, mind you, is proving to be a difficult exercise even for the league's draft mavens.

The Sixers, as recently detailed below by The Stein Line, will have considerable influence over proceedings depending on what they do with the No. 3 overall pick. With no real consensus about the next batch of prospects behind Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, who are widely projected to be selected No. 1 and No. 2 overall, Philadelphia could go any number of directions.

[niQ]

Plan B?

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[WuTang_CMB]

Plan B?

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U do it if its cheap enough
KD would still be our best player next year. He had a terrific season. Gotta load manage him with BI though. Thats my concern

[PushDaRock]

Are you saying IQ hasn't played 40 games in 3 years?

HUH?
He played 68 games the season he got traded split between NY and Toronto and would have played more if we weren't tanking.

Before that he played 81 games and 74 games in the 2 seasons prior.

Playing 33 games this past season was a combination of bad luck with his elbow injury in game 1 of the season and the blatant tanking effort just sitting him out.

I expect IQ to play 60-80 games next season.

He hasn’t played over 40 games in each of his last 3 seasons is what I meant. I don’t care what he did 4 seasons ago.. tank or not.

He is a 38% 3pt shooter which is good, but can’t take his man off the dribble, and he is not a great POA defender. Couple that with his availability, is that what you want from a starting PG on a championship calibre team? Would he want to be a 6th man again? I doubt it.

He played 81 games in 2022-23 , 68 games in 2023-24, and 38 games in 2024-25.

You're looking at the time he split in NYK/TOR in 2023/24 as two different seasons.

lmao of course

[tdotrep2]

with kd and ingram, we go from having really bad halfcourt offence to potentially elite elite.

[mtcan]

Plan B?

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?s=19

U do it if its cheap enough
KD would still be our best player next year. He had a terrific season. Gotta load manage him with BI though. Thats my concern

IQ + Jak matches with KD's salary perfectly.

RJ + Jak + Ochai also matches KD's salary.

Not moving any other future assets for a 37 year old KD. Maybe one future first...but definitely not #9.

And if Jak goes in a trade...we must certainly be drafting Maluach at #9 if available.

Could also do Ochai for Nick Richards in a separate deal if you need to recoup a center after trading Jak.

[Duffman100]

with kd and ingram, we go from having really bad halfcourt offence to potentially elite elite.

Quickly / Ingram/ Durant / Barnes / Poeltl could do some damage.

[Pointgod]

Plan B?

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God damn we’re cooked if we do this.

[Rapsobsessed7]

Nick Richard’s would have to come back if Jakob is going out.

To TOR: Poeltl + Barrett + Ochai
To PHX: Durant + Richards

Would need to be done in a 2 part trade. Would need to add picks to even it out but

Quickley/Shead
Ingram / Jakobe
Durant / Dick
Barnes / Mogbo
Richards / C

[Rapsobsessed7]

with kd and ingram, we go from having really bad halfcourt offence to potentially elite elite.

Quickly / Ingram/ Durant / Barnes / Poeltl could do some damage.

Need to add one of Quickley/Poeltl with Barrett to match salaries.

[MessiahUjiri]

Nick Richard’s would have to come back if Jakob is going out.

To TOR: Poeltl + Barrett + Ochai
To PHX: Durant + Richards

Would need to be done in a 2 part trade. Would need to add picks to even it out but

Quickley/Shead
Ingram / Jakobe
Durant / Dick
Barnes / Mogbo
Richards / C

Probably add 3 picks, since Poeltl can’t be the centerpiece of a Durant trade.