New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Idea Sends RJ Barrett to Clippers, Hawks Land Elite Guard Defender

Seemingly out of the KD sweepstakes, could the Clippers possibly acquire a third scorer this summer from the Raptors and send one of their best defenders to Atlanta?

Feb 2, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) dribbles the ball past Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) in the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Clippers were much better than many expected last season behind a strong trio of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac flanked by an excellent defense. However, they ran out of steam against the Denver Nuggets and lost in Game 7 of a tightly contested series. LA struggled to find another source of offense against a surprisingly resilient Nuggets defense and got owned on the boards after a gritty Game 6 win. The team ran out of gas down the stretch, but it seems that adding a third/fourth scoring option to a core that already has Harden, Leonard and Zubac could make them an even tougher out in the 2025-26 playoffs. Norman Powell and Bogdan Bogdanovic were not able to consistently perform in the series for LA.

In an ideal world, the Clippers would be able to bring in Kevin Durant to be that third star. Purely from the perspective of adding a proven scorer, there are no better options this offseason than Durant. It's for this reason that NBA insider Mike Scotto of Hoops Hype had this to say about Phoenix's interest in a Clippers package for Durant.

"The Phoenix Suns have done their “background work” and gauged the value of LA Clippers star Norman Powell across the league in the event of a Kevin Durant trade"

However, it seems that all signs are pointing towards Durant being traded to either the Rockets, Heat or Timberwolves. In that case, one of the more compelling alternatives the Clippers should consider is RJ Barrett. It has been reported the Raptors are trying to use Barrett as part of a trade package for KD, per NBA insider Grant Afseth.

The Toronto Raptors are reportedly willing to dangle any combination of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, and the No. 9 pick in trade talks centered around Kevin Durant, per @GrantAfseth

“League sources say the Raptors have explored a range of trade concepts that… pic.twitter.com/En6CNjCZX1

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 17, 2025

However, acquring the 25 year-old wing could be an interesting long-term bet for the Clippers. The rest of their core is extremely old and Barrett might be able to provide some much-needed youth and athleticism in their starting lineup at a reasonable price. Even so, the deal would be easier if the Clippers and Raptors included a third team to take on extra money. That third team could be Atlanta. The Hawks have a ton of financial flexibility this summer, which they can use to address their needs at interior defense, front court depth, shooting, and maybe a backup lead guard/ball handler. NBA insider Marc Stein has already reported that Atlanta could also look to be facilitators this summer in the trade market due to their financial flexibility, depending on if the team brings back any of Caris LeVert, Clint Capela, or Larry Nance.

Given the needs of all three teams, what would a trade between them look like? Here is one possible framework for a deal.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Kris Dunn

Los Angeles Clippers Receive: RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, Kobe Bufkin, 2027 2nd round pick

Toronto Raptors Receive: Norman Powell, Drew Eubanks, 2030 1st round pick swap (via LAC)

Why the Hawks would do this deal: Dunn was an integral part of the Clippers' defense last season and puts an incredible amount of pressure on opposing ball-handlers. He had an incredible STL% of 3.2%, good for the 98th percentile among all guards. In terms of making the right passes and racking up steals, Dunn would solve a lot of those issues for Atlanta at a reasonable price. He can't be relied upon for big minutes in the postseason due to his fouling and shooting struggles, but he would be a good regular season contributor who can keep Trae Young fresh. Kobe Bufkin has struggled to stay healthy and Dunn played in 74 games last season. He delivers on the defensive upside Bufkin has shown without the durability concerns.

Why the Hawks would not do this deal: They are giving up on Bufkin rather quickly and it is possible that he may be able to develop into a high-level backup point guard considering that he's just been unable to stay on the court. Furthermore, Dunn is virtually unplayable for long stretches in the playoffs and that is a problem considering the Hawks' aspirations next season.

Why the Clippers would do this deal: The surface-level production for Barrett is very intriguing. Last season, he averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists on 46.8/35/63% shooting splits. He took strides as a passer and rebounder - he had a career-best AST% of 27.3% this season and DREB% of 17.9%. He's good at drawing free throws as he got fouled on 14.7% of his shots last season, which was in the 90th percentile among all forwards. It's not hard to see Barrett replicating the production of Norman Powell last season for LA with the chance to grow into a more effective, well-rounded player over time. Agbaji surged last season, turning into a solid player on offense. He has always been a solid defender, going back to his days on Utah, but his offense was atrocious. Last season, he shot 49.8% from the field and 39.9% from three on four attempts per game. He would be a valuable wing defender to use off the bench and comes at a low cost. Harden thrives with capable 3&D wings around him and there's no reason to think Agbaji could match or exceed what he showed in Toronto as a member of the Clippers. Bufkin has showed flashes of being a good defender in the limited time that he's been able to stay healthy. However, he's only 21 and could develop into a solid backcourt contributor with time.

Why the Clippers would not do this deal: Barrett struggles on defense and he isn't an especially strong finisher or free throw shooter despite getting to the rim regularly. He only shot 63% from deep and shot 61% at the rim, which was in the 26th percentile among all forwards. Barrett also doesn't have much of a midrange game, only shooting 39% from midrange last season. There is a ton of injury risk with Bufkin and Agbaji only has one season of being a contributor on both ends of the court. Furthermore, losing Kris Dunn would be a big hit towards their defensive identity.

Why the Raptors would do this deal: Barrett doesn't really fit with the addition of Brandon Ingram and his ball-handling will be significantly less useful with a healthy Immanuel Quickley in the lineup. The Raptors being able to get a first-round swap of their 2030 pick with LA could potentially give them a massive upgrade in pick value. Powell never wanted to be traded from Toronto and could easily step into a role as the sixth man or occasional starter - he averaged 21.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists on an impressive shooting line of 48.4/41.8/80.4% last season. His contract also expires at the end of the season, so Toronto is not affecting their long-term salary picture. Eubanks is a solid backup center who can step in should the Raptors decide to deal Poetl this offseason.

Why the Raptors would not do this deal: Powell is very effective as a floor spacer, but his defense is consistently poor and he can be easily targeted on that end. They may not want to send out Agbaji given their success with turning him into a contributor.