4 teams that could’ve beaten Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell offer

Raptors trade Anunoby, Trent Jr. and Achiuwa for Donovan Mitchell.

Over the last decade, the Toronto Raptors transformed their public image from a wasteland of mid-level talent in an unrecognizable city to a model organization in one of the league’s most diverse, exhilarating and passionate cities in the world. All it took was the hiring of a high-profile executive in Masai Ujiri and some PR to educate those who knew nothing about the city. Not for nothing, Drake and The Weeknd also helped with that.

This team is in a similar position to the one it braved in the pre-Kawhi era. Toronto had a fantastic rotation with rising talent and seasoned players entering their prime years. With a star and a couple of veteran acquisitions, they could get right back into Finals contention. However, like the aforementioned Warriors, a deal probably would’ve been sealed long ago if they thought Donovan Mitchell was that guy for them.

Regardless, they have all of their own draft compensation and a compelling trade package with OG Anunoby (25), Gary Trent Jr. (23) and Precious Achiuwa (21). Teams covet Anunoby’s size and defensive instincts on the wing, which make him a formidable matchup for all in his path. Trent Jr. has shown substantial improvement on both sides of the floor and by this point, can safely be called an elite 3-point marksman. Achiuwa is a versatile and athletic big whose ball-handling, face-up game and switchability make him an appealing player to invest in.

Don’t be surprised if some variation of this same trade package is used to bring the next star player to Toronto in the future.