Toronto has already made some major swings this offseason, and rumor is that they want to chase a title. What if acquiring another player from the 2019 championship squad is the next step to get there?

Why the Raptors do this:

Fred VanVleet resembles what Kyle Lowry was for this franchise in 2019: a smart two-way guard who doesn’t need the spotlight but makes the players around him better. Not only does this move improve the point guard situation short-term, it adds a valuable stopgap big in Steven Adams while also increasing long-term cap flexibility, a valuable commodity in Toronto considering Kawhi’s big-money extension.

Why the Pelicans do this:

New Orleans sucked this year, but with the new lottery system, they have every reason to try and make a run at the play-in in 2027. This move sends out a non-factor in Poole in exchange for a really valuable guard in Quickley to pair with Murray in this backcourt. Along with Fears, Jones, Murphy, Williamson, and even Queen, this Pelicans roster suddenly has a lot of very capable players that could make them a surprising team this season.

Why the Rockets do this:

The Rockets give up two players who didn’t log a minute last season in exchange for some relatively valuable assets. Two swaps, a second rounder, and Jonathan Mogbo are nothing to scoff at, but I want to highlight the value of this Poole contract. As an expiring deal, this move clears out Houston’s salary sheet of the Adams contract in 2028 when Amen Thompson is extension-eligible, and Poole’s contract is also highly tradeable should the Rockets try to make a splash at the trade deadline. With or without VanVleet and Adams, this Rockets team was never going to win the championship in 2027 without making some moves. This deal drastically increases their flexibility, a valuable asset in the second apron era.

What do you think of this deal? Who accepts, who declines, and why? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!