Toronto Raptors: Should the Raptors mortgage the future for Kevin Durant?

Exploring whether the Toronto Raptors should go all-in and mortgage the future for Kevin Durant, specifically the Scottie Barnes question.

When it was reported that Kevin Durant had requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, there were immediately two teams that were linked as “preferred destinations” for Kevin Durant. Those two teams are the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat.

However, over the last couple of days, there is one other team that has garnered some steam as a potential Durant landing spot: the Toronto Raptors. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, he says that the Raptors are “lurking” as a potential suitor for Durant.

And it should come as no surprise. Objectively, the Raptors likely have the necessary assets to offer up a competitive deal for Durant.

The raptors owe all of their draft picks and have plenty of appealing tradable pieces, such as Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby, Chris Boucher, Scottie Barnes, and Precious Achiuwa.

Of course, that’s not to say that the Raptors would make them all available in a trade for Durant, but a combination of those players, along with a trove of draft picks, could get them in the conversation.

However, the big question, likely for both teams, revolves around one player. Scottie Barnes is not only a player that the Nets would almost certainly demand in any return for Durant (from Toronto), but he’s also a player that the Raptors would want to keep.

After a Rookie of the Year campaign, he has franchise player written all over him and his potential is through the roof. He’s just scratching the surface he can be at the young age of 20. Ultimately, whether the Raptors land Durant or not (if they would even be considered) could come down to Barnes.

But it’s not an easy decision. The Raptors could mortgage the future for 2-3 years of elite play from Durant or they could trust their developmental system and bank on Barnes evolving into a superstar in the future.

Toronto did this a few years ago for Kawhi Leonard – though the asking price for Durant would understandably be a lot higher – and it resulted in an NBA Championship. If the Raptors went all-in for Durant, even mortgaging the future, and it resulted in a championship, it would absolutely be worth it.

But what are the odds that the Raptors would roll the dice twice and win twice? At the same rate, what are the realistic odds that Barnes will evolve into a superstar, or even reach a fraction of the level that Durant is?

Even though there are a lot of uncertainties regarding the Raptors and a potential pursuit of Durant, one thing is clear – if they wanted to get in on the Durant sweepstakes, there’s really not much preventing them from doing so.