The Toronto Raptors have been pulled into one of the bolder trade ideas floating around the NBA, with Devin Booker suddenly surfacing as a name to watch if the Phoenix Suns ever decide to change course.
For now, there’s no sign Phoenix is looking to move Booker. But the speculation is out there because the Suns are not in a strong position to win right now, and the thinking is Booker could eventually want a shot at a championship elsewhere.
That’s where Toronto enters the picture, and the pitch is a wild one. The Raptors are already dealing with the Kawhi Leonard situation, and the proposed framework would send Booker north in a massive deal.
“One bold proposal involves acquiring Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker in a blockbuster trade. This looks more far-fetched than most options for obvious reasons; however, there is a chance a trade could be possible.
“In a hypothetical deal, the Raptors would get Booker and send out Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, along with unprotected first-round picks in 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 to Phoenix,” Adel Ahmad wrote.
The package would give the Suns a haul of picks, but the Leonard deal means some adjustments would be necessary.
From Toronto’s side, moving on from Quickley would make plenty of sense, and there’s been some frustration around Barrett as well. The Raptors are not actively shopping Barrett, though a Quickley exit sometime in the next few months is easy to imagine.
Still, if Booker ever does become available, the appeal is obvious. Pairing him with Leonard and Scottie Barnes would make for a fascinating swing.
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Murray-Boyles was supposed to be part of the Raptors Summer League group, but his absence only sharpened the focus on how the team plans to develop him once the games start counting again. The comparison that matters most inside the building is not about flash, but fit, and the Raptors have been studying how Scottie Barnes can serve as a template for what Murray-Boyles might become offensively. He has also made it clear he is looking ahead to the season, which only adds to the anticipation around how Toronto will bring him along. [Read more 🡒]
