The Toronto Raptors' season came to an early end back in April, giving them plenty of time to plot their next move this summer. Initially, they didn't seem to have a clear strategy in place.
However, a new report suggests that they will go big game hunting this summer. According to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, the Raptors and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks have mutual interest.
While the Raptors may seem like a random team to throw their hat into the Giannis sweepstakes, Giannis and Raptors GM Masai Uruji are close. Toronto has also been pursuing Giannis for years.
Even so, they don't have a roster ready to compete with Giannis as their centerpiece, and they will actually have to gut their roster to even acquire him. That being said, acquiring a 30-year-old megastar would be huge for Toronto, which currently seems years away from competing for a championship again. Getting Giannis would be a big step up but may cost them a homegrown star.
What would a Raptors Giannis Antetokounmpo trade look like?
The Raptors don't have as high of a lottery pick as they would have hoped but still have the ninth selection. That, combined with Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, the 39th pick, and a 2027 first, might be enough to get a deal done.
To get Giannis, they'd also have to take back Pat Connaughton, but it'd be worth it. Giving up Barnes would be costly considering they developed him into a star, but they wouldn't have the assets to land Giannis otherwise.
Offering up a 23-year-old All-Star is understandably risky, but they would still have the potential to quickly build a good team. They already have a starting center in place in Jakob Poeltl and still would have an all-star in Brandon Ingram. That's a massive front line and a great starting point.
The Raptors may not even be done making big trades, with them potentially eyeing another All-Star to pair with Giannis in Toronto. While they have point guard Emmanuel quickly, they may still have enough assets to chase Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, who will be entering the final year of his contract next season. He could be drawn north by the prospect of playing with Giannis.
All told, the Raptors could throw their hat into the Giannis sweepstakes. Nevertheless, Toronto may have to give up Scottie Barnes in a Giannis blockbuster trade, forcing them to make a tough decision.