The Raptors have been pulled into the Kyrie Irving conversation, but the timing of any move matters just as much as the price.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley recently floated a deal that would send Irving to Toronto in exchange for Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter, and a 2028 first-round pick that is top-five protected. On paper, that’s not an outrageous ask for a player with Irving’s résumé, even if giving up Walter is a tough pill to swallow. The trade would also clear Toronto off the long-term money tied to Quickley, which could open up more flexibility later.
Still, the Raptors would be smart to pump the brakes.
This is the part of the offseason where teams are locking in training camp plans, defining roles, and trying to build chemistry before the new season starts. Toronto has already dealt with plenty of noise because of the Kawhi Leonard aspirations saga, and adding another major roster shakeup now would only make head coach Darko Rajakovic’s job harder.
That’s especially true because the roster still needs time to settle. Even though RJ Barrett is a player the argument has been made should have been moved this summer while his value was high, that window has passed with camp a little more than a month away. At this point, Toronto should be looking at the group it has and preparing for opening night, aside from maybe one or two smaller additions at the bottom of the roster.
That doesn’t mean Bobby Webster has to stay inactive forever. If the season goes on and the Raptors put themselves in position where one more move could turn them into title favorites, then a player like Irving could make sense at the deadline. But right now, the bigger priority is letting this version of the team take shape, with Leonard still the central storyline.
There’s also the injury factor. Irving is 34, and after an ACL injury that sidelined him all of 2025-26, Toronto would be taking a major gamble by rushing into a trade before seeing how he looks on the other side of it.
The Raptors have built a roster that deserves a real chance. If the early results aren’t there, Webster can revisit the market. But a move for Irving now shouldn’t be on the table.
In Other News...
Raptors Trade Hopes Just Took A Hit From Portland's Backcourt Twist
Portlands backcourt picture changed sharply this week, and the ripple effects could reach Torontos trade radar. Shaedon Sharpe has been one of the more intriguing young names in the Blazers mix, so any injury to him matters on its own, but it also lands at a time when Portland has been sorting through how its guard rotation should look moving forward.
For Raptors watchers, the bigger question is what this means around Jrue Holiday. Portlands need for experienced perimeter help has only grown with Sharpe sidelined, and that makes the Blazers more inclined to keep a stable hand in place while they regroup. It is the kind of development that can cool trade talk quickly, even if the conversation around Holiday is not going away entirely. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors May Have A Real Center Upgrade If Bulls Play Along
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Claxtons appeal is obvious from Torontos point of view because his rim-running and defensive profile would give the roster a different look without forcing a long-term commitment that clogs up the books. The catch is finding a deal both sides can live with, and while the framework has been floated, there is still plenty of distance between speculation and anything official. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Just Got A Huge Break From One Trade Miss
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Toronto ended up taking Collin Murray-Boyles, and the early returns have been encouraging enough to make the miss feel like a break rather than a setback. Murray-Boyles turned in a strong rookie season and is already being discussed as a potential long-term piece, while White had a down year by his standards and shot a career-low field goal percentage. [Read more 🡒]