The Toronto Raptors are reportedly trying to get in on a Jimmy Butler trade.
According to Doug Smith of The Star, sources around the league believe that the Raptors are trying to enter the Butler sweepstakes by being facilitators in the trade.
Butler is making $48 million and he has a $52 million player option for next season. It’s never been more difficult to pull off a trade involving a larger contract, but the Raptors have expiring contracts that could allow them to enter a potential Butler deal as a third or fourth team.
The Raptors have expiring contracts in Bruce Brown ($23 million), Chris Boucher ($10.8 million) and Davion Mitchell ($6.4 million) who could end up being valuable parts in a blockbuster deal centered around Butler.
The Raptors don’t want to take much longer-term money in a trade but they would be open to taking on one long-term contract if it meant adding draft capital, per Smith.
No names have been mentioned in the framework of a potential deal, but the Raptors getting involved in a Butler trade is likely the only way they become players ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, per Smith.
Brown, Boucher, Mitchell, Kelly Olynyk and even Jakob Poeltl have all come up in trade rumors. The Raptors aren’t forced to do anything at this season’s deadline, but offloading expiring contracts in exchange for draft capital would be a wise decision.
Butler will return from a seven-game suspension on Jan. 17 and is set to play for Miami. However, he reportedly told Pat Riley that he wants to be traded, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Butler situation plays out in the coming weeks and if the Raptors ultimately get involved.
Raptors share injury update on Immanuel Quickley & Ochai Agbaji
The Toronto Raptors provided an update on Immanuel Quickley and Ochai Agbaji ahead of their matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Have you subscribed to the Raptors Nation YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
