NBA Trade Grades: Raptors add C.J. Miles in sign-and-trade with Pacers

In a deal that makes sense for both sides, the Indiana Pacers get compensation for a departing free agent, while the Toronto Raptors plug a gaping hole on the wing with C.J. Miles.

Having retained Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka in free agency, the Toronto Raptors are retooling, not restarting. The Indiana Pacers, on the other hand, are entering a sudden and painful post-Paul George rebuild around Myles Turner.

Often times, two teams on opposite trajectories make ideal trade partners. That was the case Sunday afternoon, when the Raptors swapped Cory Joseph for free agent C.J. Miles in a rare sign-and-trade deal.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN first broke the news, later adding that Miles’ contract with the Raptors would be worth a cool $25 million over three years, with a player option for the 2019-20 season.

Miles, a 30-year-old wing, had previously played for the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2014 free agency, he moved to Indiana, where he enjoyed three of the best years of his career.

Joseph is just 25, but already has a championship ring from his time in San Antonio. A Toronto native, Joseph came back home in 2015, and his departure undoubtedly stings. Not just a hometown hero, Joseph also excelled as a backup guard with the Raptors, forming an elite backcourt trio along with DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.

Both players in this deal are quality NBA talents who can flit in between starting and reserve roles. Neither Toronto nor Indiana “lost” this trade. In fact, both probably won.

Let’s break down each team’s haul in detail with NBA Trade Grades.

Indiana Pacers

On paper, the Pacers traded C.J. Miles for Cory Joseph. Those players are of roughly equal basketball value and are paid roughly the same amount annually.

You can’t evaluate the trade in that manner, however. Miles was a free agent who the Pacers were uninterested in re-signing. At 30 years old, Miles just isn’t on the ideal timeline for a rebuilding team in need of high upside youngsters and veteran mentors. Basically, the Pacers traded nothing for Cory Joseph.

The only cost incurred on Indiana’s part is the remaining two years and $15.7 million on Joseph’s contract. In 2018, Joseph can opt out and become a free agent, and given the need for backup point guards in the NBA, it’s probable he will. It’s not like the Pacers really needed the $7.7 million in space Joseph takes up, meaning his acquisition comes with little financial risk.

On the court, Joseph provides a reliable third guard to play alongside Victor Oladipo and new signing Darren Collison. The latter will compete with Joseph for the starting point guard job, but all three players will soak up huge minutes in an otherwise shallow Indiana backcourt.

Joseph and Oladipo should make up a feisty defensive tandem, as both are quick, possess decent size, and can play against 1s and many 2s. Unlike many long-time backups, Joseph isn’t a liability guarding starters, which is a luxury for a rebuilding squad like Indiana.

Offensively, Joseph gives the team another ball-handler with proven playmaking skills. The Canadian is used to playing with ball-dominant guards, meaning he won’t eat into Oladipo’s touches. Instead, the two can work in tandem with the knowledge that Joseph is there as a late-clock security blanket in the pick-and-roll.

Overall, the Pacers did well to grab a solid player on a good contract. Joseph will give them reliable minutes in a rebuilding year, and if things turn sour and Indiana needs to collect more assets, the team can always flip Joseph’s contract for a pick, much like the Phoenix Suns did last season with P.J. Tucker.

Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard made a questionable first trade this offseason. His second – this one – was flawless.

Grade: A

Toronto Raptors

Last Friday, I outlined a way for Toronto to attain C.J. Miles. The Raptors would have to make a salary dump to get well below the luxury tax apron. At that point, they’d regain the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is what Miles basically received.

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In a roundabout way, Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri pulled it off. He first dumped DeMarre Carroll, at the cost of two picks, to the Brooklyn Nets. That move got Toronto right around the tax line, but it basically left zero proven small forwards on the roster.

Next, however, Ujiri pulled off this deal, and Miles is an immediate Carroll replacement. Dumping Joseph just to swap out Carroll for Miles is painful, but there are a couple considerations to look at.

First, despite his off-the-bench excellence for the last two seasons, Joseph was dispensable. Third-string point guard Delon Wright is not as good as Joseph, and he’s also the same age. That being said, the consensus is that Wright is ready to become Toronto’s backup ball-handler.

Wright’s career per 36 minute line of 13.5 points and 4.7 assists to just 2.2 turnovers are solid. More importantly, he’s a long player with quick hands and legitimate defensive potential.

Second, by “trading” for Miles, the Raptors can still use the mid-level exception. They’re now hard-capped at the tax apron, giving them only about $6.5 million, but that’s enough to sign yet another rotation-level player if Ujiri so chooses.

On the court, Miles projects as Toronto’s starting 3. He shot 41.3 percent from beyond the arc last season on 8.3 attempts per 36 minutes. And at 6’6″ and 225 pounds, Miles can defend positions 2-4.

Those are necessary skills next to DeMar DeRozan, a scoring savant whose perimeter shot and defensive intensity are notoriously unreliable. Miles will stretch the floor for DeRozan and Kyle Lowry pick-and-rolls, which are the bread and butter of Toronto’s attack.

Ultimately, Miles was a highly-coveted free agent at a position of need. Signing him to a fair three-year pact is a shrewd piece of business that should improve Toronto in the short run without sacrificing long-term flexibility.

Next: 2017 NBA free agency tracker - Grades for every deal so far

The Raptors just added size, shooting, and depth. Now, surely, there’s another move on the horizon.

Grade: B+