Raptors Eye ‘Unique Opportunities’ as Bucks Superstar Expected to Be Traded

The Toronto Raptors are always prepared to act when the right opportunity presents itself.

Team president Masai Ujiri has made that clear time and again.

“You have to figure out what the opportunity is, and sometimes I can guarantee you there are many unique opportunities that are going to come up in July, and we have to look at all of them,” Ujiri said earlier this month. “That’s our job here.”

It’s that mindset that has kept Toronto in the mix for superstar trades almost annually. The Raptors were linked to Kevin Durant not long ago. They made a serious push for Damian Lillard in 2023. Now, Giannis Antetokounmpo could be the next star to become available, following Milwaukee’s third straight first-round playoff exit.

Toronto has coveted Antetokounmpo for more than a decade. In 2013, the Raptors made an aggressive push to trade into the first round to draft him. In 2020, they preserved cap space by letting Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka walk in free agency, hoping Antetokounmpo would test the market the following summer. He ultimately re-signed in Milwaukee before reaching free agency.

Could this finally be the year the Raptors land their white whale?

In theory, yes.

Around the league, belief is growing that Antetokounmpo could be moved this offseason. Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear and the eroding roster around the two-time MVP have left the Bucks with no clear path back to contention. Trade conversations are expected.

Any Raptors offer would almost certainly begin with Scottie Barnes, who is about to enter the first year of his rookie max extension. Including the former Rookie of the Year would get Toronto part of the way toward matching Antetokounmpo’s $54.1 million salary for next season. To make the numbers work, the Raptors would likely need to include either RJ Barrett or Jakob Poeltl, or both Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick. Beyond salary, they’d have to sweeten the deal with draft capital. Toronto controls all of its future first-round picks, including this year’s selection, which currently sits at No. 7 heading into the draft lottery.

Will that be enough?

That depends on the competition. The Houston Rockets have the draft assets and young talent to outbid anyone if they choose to. The San Antonio Spurs could assemble an enticing offer even without including Victor Wembanyama. The Oklahoma City Thunder, with their deep collection of picks and young stars, could also make a move if they fall short in this year’s playoffs.

Each of those teams is capable of building a package stronger than what Toronto can offer.

There’s also the question of what the Raptors would look like post-trade. Moving Barnes, Barrett, and future picks for Antetokounmpo, for example, would raise Toronto’s ceiling, but it could also leave the roster too thin to truly compete. Would that version of the Raptors be a legitimate title threat? Or would it simply place Antetokounmpo in another familiar position, leading a very good but not great team in the Eastern Conference?

One thing is certain: if the Bucks put Antetokounmpo on the market, the Raptors will make a call.

Whether this is finally the summer they land him is another question entirely.

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