After a 16-35 start to the 2024-25 season and potential trade pieces ready to be dealt, the Toronto Raptors made themselves busy.
They extended their streak of making deals at the trade deadline to five years with three different trades. Let’s grade each one.
The Big One
Raptors receive: Brandon Ingram
Pelicans receive: Bruce Brown Jr, Kelly Olynyk, 2026 first-round pick via Pacers (top 4 protected), 2031 second-round pick.
Grade: B+
A great majority of the Raptors’ fanbase was confused yet excited by this trade.
On one hand, the Raptors traded Bruce Brown and Kelly Olynyk. It was clear that these two players didn’t fit the Raptors’ timeline.
By trading them, the Raptors landed a premier talent in Brandon Ingram. On the other hand, the Raptors gave up a first-round pick. This has become something of a tradition with the Olynyk/Agbaji trade in 2024, the Poeltl trade in 2023 and the Thaddeus Young trade in 2022. This trade needs to be looked at with both the future and the present in mind. In terms of the present, Brandon Ingram won’t hurt the Raptors’ lottery odds by winning too many games. Ingram is currently nursing an ankle injury, and the Raptors aren’t planning to rush him back to the court.
Both Ingram and Scottie Barnes fit surprisingly well together. Ingram’s most efficient season — when he averaged over 21 points per game — was the 2019-20 season when he had an above-average playmaker playing alongside him in Lonzo Ball. With both Barnes and Immanuel Quickley running the offense up north, Ingram is primed to excel offensively.
Although Barnes is averaging more points per game this year, he’s been much more efficient when playing alongside Pascal Siakam and looked more comfortable in the offense. With Ingram taking the helm as the main offensive threat and Barnes relaxing into a secondary scorer/playmaker role, they will both flourish.
A question mark on the deal is Ingram’s contract extension. Shoveling out money to Ingram while also paying Barrett, Quickley and Barnes doesn’t leave too much space for extensions for Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Jamal Shead, Jonothan Mogbo and Ja’Kobe Walter, although that’s multiple years in the future.
Although it may seem puzzling for a team mid-rebuild to trade first-round picks that they own, the 2026 first-round pick via Indiana that was acquired in the Pascal Siakam trade last year is more likely than not to be in the twenties and the 2031 second-round pick is negligible.
Bruce Brown and Kelly Olynyk were more than likely off the team anyway. So the trade boils down to this question: would you rather have the 2026 first-round pick from Indiana and a 2031 second-round pick or Brandon Ingram?
Heat receive: Davion Mitchell
Raptors receive: P.J. Tucker, future second-round pick, cash considerations
Grade: A
Mitchell’s stats won’t catch any eyes. However, his defensive qualities and ability to be a jack-of-all-trades on the court make for an interesting acquisition for the Heat. With this in mind, rookie Jamal Shead had taken over Mitchell’s spot as the backup point guard in the rotation. It was clear that Mitchell’s time in Toronto was on a timer, even though he netted lots of fans in his limited time up north.
Being able to net a second-round pick and an expiring contract in P.J. Tucker rather than just letting Mitchell walk in free agency still counts as a win. The Raptors also keep themselves below the first-apron and keep flexibility in free agency this year with P.J. Tucker’s expiring deal, and gaining a second-round pick is never a negative.
https://twitter.com/kwedawgFLG/status/1887559755452776827
Raptors receive: James Wiseman, cash considerations
Pacers receive: 2026 second-round pick (top 25 protected)
Grade: B-
On paper, this trade seemed like a high grade for the Raptors. Acquiring James Wiseman and cash for a second-round pick that won’t be conveyed unless the Raptors are a top-five team in the league seems great.
However, the Raptors waived Wiseman. This leaves them with just cash and an open roster spot that they gave to sharpshooting rookie Jamison Battle. Compared to the two other trades the Raptors made this trade deadline, this is a relatively low-risk, low-reward trade.
Final Grade: A-
The Raptors got value out of most of their expiring contracts.
In addition, they acquired a new star piece for the budding roster. They had only given up what is expected to be a late first-round pick in 2026 in their trades. Ingram and the rookie to be selected in the first round in this year’s upcoming draft are the Raptors’ key additions to the team. Pairing that with Scottie Barnes, R.J. Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick and the Raptors’ emerging depth, the Raptors make for an exciting team that could introduce themselves into the playoff race next year.
The fruits of a successful trade deadline seem to look ripe for the taking.
Leave a comment