Toronto Raptors: Grading their 2019 NBA trade deadline

The Toronto Raptors are all in this year making a splash at the 2019 NBA trade deadline. Here is a breakdown, analysis of their moves and what’s next.

In the last 72 hours, the president of basketball operations, Masai Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster of the Toronto Raptors have been busy to say the least.

The Raptors’ management made in total three trades. moving five players off their roster and only adding one. Here we discuss what exactly happened and grade their moves.

Recaps, Analysis and Grades:

The first movement a day prior to the deadline was a minor deal that holds major tax implications:

This trade along with a 2022 second-round pick and one of the two draft rights the Raptors still have on their books to the Philadelphia 76ers was made with the intention of reducing the team’s tax bill come the summer.

When the Raptors declined Malachi Richardson‘s team option before the season started, the writing was on the wall, his tenure with the Raptors would surely be open.

In 23 games with the Raptors this season, Richardson – in mostly garbage time minutes – contributed 1.4 points and 0.6 rebounds per game on 31 percent shooting from the floor.

At the age of 23 years old, with an injury history demolishing the start of his career, he could still hold value as a late rotation piece and as an intriguing perimeter shooting prospect.

Final Take: This move was simply done for the business side of basketball, trying to save money. It costs the team a second-pick in order to do so.

Grade: C 

Another tax-saving move was made to shave some costs from of the fourth-highest paid roster:

Greg Monroe and another second-round pick were shipped to the Brooklyn Nets. This move was technically reported after the soon-to-be-mentioned blockbuster, but was made official first by league office. The Raptors did not acquire a player back in the deal, just more cash considerations.

The implications of this trade was to save money come the end of the season. The Raptors have 14 days to fill those roster spots left by Richardson and Monroe along with the others to reach the minimum required roster of 14 players.

Monroe, a.k.a. “Moose,” has had a mixed bag of impact on this year’s Raptors squad. Brought in over the summer as an insurance policy in case one of Toronto’s bigs — Serge Ibaka or Jonas Valanciunas — were to get hurt, the move paid off.

When Valanciunas went down with a dislocated thumb in early December, Monroe was playing spot minutes, mostly garbage time, to relieve the key rotation bigs. After the injury, he was immediately the first big off the bench to replace Ibaka.

His production was mediocre at best contributing 4.8 points, 4.1  rebounds, 0.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game on 46 percent shooting from the floor. That’s not the whole story.

In 38 games, Monroe had the second-worst plus/minus rating on the roster at an astonishing total of minus-82. He will not find minutes in Brooklyn as he was immediately waived by the Nets.

Final Take: This move was another move done for the business side of basketball to saving money. It costs the team another second-pick, but they get the additional plus in grading because of Greg Monroe’s services to the team this season on a veteran’s minimum deal.

Grade: C+

Lastly the big-name trade was made that got everyone on notice:

The longest-tenured Raptor on the roster since he was drafted fifth overall, Jonas Valanciunas, along with C.J. Miles, Delon Wright, and a 2024 second-round pick are heading to the Memphis Grizzlies for former All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year, Marc Gasol.

The trade was a shock to pretty much everyone, especially after it was reported less than 24 hours prior a deal was close to being finalized for Gasol to be a Charlotte Hornet.

In acquiring the 34-year old from Spain, the Raptors have made their “let’s win it all” move with still holding on to their key stars and while improving their rotation.

After starting the season on fire, Gasol has immensely cooled off, whether that is due to age or being unmotivated on an underwhelming Grizzlies’ team.

The happy-passing big is second among centers in assists at 4.7 per game while contributing 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 1.2 blocks, 1.4 3s (at 34.4 percent) on shooting an overall 44.4 percent from the floor.

He brings strong paint protection and the ability to space the floor as one of the most effective pick-and-pop bigs in the Association.

This move is undoubtedly an upgrade for the Raptors’ rotation, adding a high-IQ player with playoff success experience and increasing the teams’ overall ceiling.

Memphis, unfortunately, waited a year too late for this move, not getting a first-round pick for their former face of the franchise, but received quality rotation players in Miles and Wright, while Valanciunas will instantly be inserted as their starting center.

Miles and Valanciunas both have player options next year for a combined $26.3 million and Wright becomes an restricted free agent. Gasol also has a player option next year for upwards of $25.6 million, if he chooses to opt in.

Wright shows flashes of elite athleticism and ability to get into the paint, but as a soon to be 27-year-old, he is an older player on the last year of his rookie contract.

Miles has been an extreme disappointment for the Raptors this year, shooting 32 percent from the floor after coming in with a reputation for being an elite shooter is cause for concern. But there is no questioning his leadership and that he is well-liked among colleagues.

He is a true professional and hopefully he can rediscover his shooting stroke in Memphis. Valanciunas, despite a reduction in minutes, was posting career-high efficiency in multiple offensive and defensive categories before his injury, the 26-year-old will instantly help his new team with his hard screen-setting ability, rebounding, and post offense.

Watch out for the JV pump fake extravaganza!

Final take: This win it all move is exactly the right type of message you tell your fans and Kawhi Leonard, whom they are trying to re-sign this off-season.

Gasol is 34 years old, and has shown signs of slowing down this season. Hopefully he will be motivated being on a winning team again and rejuvenate his youth like his brother, Pau Gasol, did years ago when he was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers.

When All-Stars are available, it’s for a reason and this move is not without its risks.

Grade: A-

Overall Grade: Incomplete

Final take: I would love to give the team a B+ for its moves at the trade deadline, but the management team is not done. With only 10 players on the roster, plus two two-way contracts, the Raptors are obligated to sign another four or five players in 14 days or less.

Whether they choose to convert one or both of the two-way deals is a possibility and they could delay any full contract signings with 10-day contracts to evaluate the buyout market.

March 1 is the deadline for players to be waived from their current situation to sign with a playoff destined team. By around that time we can expect the Raptors to have their full roster.

The moves done at the deadline is to leave space for an increased quality of Raptors’ bottom of the rotation players. Best case scenario is to fill those spots with good quality NBA players to spread out any current weakness in the Raptors rotation.

If they sign less than two good quality NBA players, it weakens their overall grade for their deadline moves. Because of this, the Raptors trade deadline grade is bench-marked at B+, but is still incomplete.