When the Toronto Raptors made a sign-and-trade deal that sent Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat this past NBA offseason, they not only got Precious Achiuwa from the Heat, but former All-Star Goran Dragic as well.
Achiuwa has played well for the Raptors, starting in 17 of the 21 games he has played in, but Dragic has only played in 5 total games and is currently away from the team due to an undisclosed personal matter.
The worst kept secret around the league right now is that the Raptors are “open for business” in regards to trading Dragic and this should not be a surprise. The veteran guard is in the final year of his contract and being 35-years-old, he is nearing the end of the line in his career.
Trading him to a playoff contending team makes the most sense, but Goran Dragic is making $19.4M this season, making a lot of teams uninterested in him. The former All-Star did help elevate the Heat to the NBA Finals in the 2020 NBA Bubble and can still be an impactful guard for many teams in this league, but his contract is not one that many teams can afford.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Raptors’ Goran Dragic Would Prefer Landing With Mavericks
Many around the league believe that Dragic will not play another game in the NBA until he is either bought out of his contract or traded by the Toronto Raptors, leading to a very intriguing situation to monitor ahead of the trade deadline.
Toronto is going to try and get any kind of value for him, which is why a team could get Dragic for a bench player and a future second-round pick. Who will target him remains a mystery, but one team with known interest is the Dallas Mavericks.
It should not be surprising to see the Mavs interested in Goran Dragic not only because they have a need for another secondary ball-handler/facilitator, but because Dragic and Doncic are close friends. The two played in the past Summer Olympics together, representing their home country of Slovenia and both guys have been seen working out together in the past.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Raptors’ Goran Dragic Would Prefer Landing With Mavericks
The Mavericks have a need in their backcourt right now next to and behind Doncic in their depth chart, so going after Dragic is a move that could definitely wind up paying off in the long-run.
Does Dallas have the ability to pull off a trade for Goran Dragic and his rather large contract? Let’s take a look at what this trade could wind up looking like from the Dallas Mavericks’ point of view.
