Jalen Green's Availability Could Create an Opportunity for the Raptors

The Toronto Raptors seem reluctant to make a huge move but there will be plenty of options this summer including possibly trading for Houston's Jalen Green

Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Raptors have never been particularly interested in a long drawn-out rebuild.

Every time Raptors president and vice-chairman Masai Ujiri speaks, he preaches development through winning. It’s why he double down — oops — on last year’s lackluster core and why the sense this summer is Toronto isn’t going to take a massive step backward.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be opportunities out there to do so.

Take the Houston Rockets, for example. Could sophomore guard Jalen Green hit the open market this summer? Sounds crazy but Yahoo’s Jake Fischer has reported the Rockets have “addressed the idea of including” Green in a package for an established star as they look to turn the corner next season.

What makes a deal with Houston so interesting is the Rockets’ over $47 million in cap space flexibility, per Spotrac, a number that could grow to $64 million in practical cap space. Houston could therefore absorb one of Toronto’s more valuable players Pascal Siakam or O.G. Anunoby without having to send back to required contracts to match in salary. In doing so, the Raptors could — in theory — acquire a valuable young player closer to Scottie Barnes’ timeline while also shedding millions of dollars in salary.

Is it realistic?

Probably not.

Toronto has so far shown no indication it’s heading toward that kind of move and figuring out the value of a Siakam for Green deal is not something that’s going to be easy to do for either team. That being said, there will be opportunities out there to make a big move should Ujiri be ready to take a swing and really rejig this Raptors roster.

Further Reading

Ime Udoka takes jab at Raptors with a '5-seed ceiling' during Rockets press conference

Jerry Stackhouse has characteristics Nick Nurse didn't as Raptors' coaching search continues

With Dame Lillard to the Raptors rumors underway, Toronto faces same old problem