Raptors Rumors: Proposed Trade Would Allow Toronto To Select Zach Edey

Zach Edey entered this past season as a likely second-round pick. But after yet another utterly dominant college season, the Canadian big man (emphasis on 'BIG' at 7'4") is now being viewed as a top-20 pick who might sneak into the lottery.

Edey has conducted pre-draft workouts for the Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat, LA Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Milwaukee Bucks. But the Raptors' interest is the most intriguing, as a team that can bring him into the NBA in his hometown of Toronto.

The Raptors are a team to monitor Zach Edey, per@MikeAScotto (https://t.co/lAWD6jJC6v)

"The Raptors love homegrown Canadian-born players and are a team to monitor for Zach Edey if he falls to [19th] pick."

He had a workout in Toronto last June 4. pic.twitter.com/YQTiT82NJI
— BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) June 16, 2024

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype says the Raptors are indeed "a team to monitor" for Edey. His suggestion, however, is that Toronto could wait and try to select him at their No. 19 pick.

But Raptors beat writer Doug Smith has proposed a trade for the Raptors with the Oklahoma City Thunder to move up in the Draft and ensure that they can get the Canadian big man:

Toronto Raptors Receive:

No. 12 overall pick (from OKC)

OKC Thunder Receive:

Bruce Brown
Chris Boucher
No. 19 pick (from Toronto)

The Raptors would receive not only a hometown kid, but one with "devastating" offensive length, and an ability to simply shoot over top of pretty much any defensive player not named Victor Wembanyama.

Zach Edey's length is such a devastating offensive weapon. Great touch with both hands and capable of reaching over contests and hitting tough shots. pic.twitter.com/HbqdSifz8m
— Will Morris (@w_a_morris) June 15, 2024

That type of length is not something the Raptors currently have on their roster. In fact, the closest they come is with Chris Boucher—the last remaining member of their 2019 Championship roster, and another Canadian, in fact. But he is entering the final year of his contract at $10.8 million and became far less a part of the regular rotation under new head coach Darko Rajakovic last season.

In addition to Boucher going to OKC to give them a backup big that they could make use of, they'd receive the feisty former World Champion complementary player Bruce Brown. The Thunder could use his experience and two-way play as a wing player.

Could be some interesting machinations as we head up to the NBA Draft on June 26th.