Why The Toronto Raptors Do The Deal

If the Toronto Raptors made this deal, there’d be no mistaking their intentions. They’d be entering into a long-term rebuild around reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes.

It is worth noting the similarities between Pascal Siakam and Barnes. Both are jumbo playmaking two-way wings. Meanwhile, both are capable floor-spacers, but neither is necessarily an elite threat from distance either.

Overall, they’re a fine pairing functionally. Two playmakers can always co-exist, and the more plus defenders a team has, the better. Still, the Raptors could reason that by trading the older of the two now, they maximize their odds of putting a contender around Barnes later.

If they do, this trade certainly ought to meet their standards. Adams and Brooks are here to match contracts, although Adams could be a useful stand-in as a starting center until they find a long-term replacement. Meanwhile, Williams is a sophomore with tantalizing potential.

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Still, the main draw for the Raptors here is the same that draws any rebuilding team into a deal: Draft picks. Lots of draft picks.