Toronto Raptors
As for Toronto, they appear to be the big winners from the deal.
The team currently sits in tenth place in the Eastern Conference. A group with championship aspirations has to recognize that this year isn’t going to happen.
Most fans will likely never be okay with trading Kyle Lowry. Some still don’t appreciate the way DeMar DeRozan was moved and that brought a championship. Moving Lowry would be even less popular.
Masai Ujiri didn’t become an Executive of the Year by doing what was popular. He will recognize Lowry is in the final year of his contract. He can help both the team and Lowry by moving him to the right scenario. He could send him home to Philadelphia appeasing the team’s goals and the fans by sending him one of the few places they could understand.
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To mend their broken hearts, Toronto returns Maxey, Thybulle, Scott, and Bertans.
Maxey has already showed flashes of dynamic on-ball creation and scoring. He projects as either a dynamic two-guard with ball handling capabilities, or an electric scoring threat off the bench.
Thybulle is beloved by Philadelphia faithful and would bring one of the rangiest defenders in the league as he’s top 20 in the league in steals, minimum two 3-point attempts, per NBA.com. His shot is falling at a roughly league average rate and Toronto should also offer more spacing and cater to his movement. Scott is more a piece to ease the tax burden on Philadelphia who will be looking to fill roster spots with players on the minimum and likely via the buyout market.
Bertans, fresh off signing his five-year, $80 million dollar contract could serve as an excellent complement to Pascal Siakam. Bertans would spread the floor as mentioned earlier and could defend the easier assignments across a wing rotation of Thybulle, Siakam, and himself.
Toronto ought not balk at the inclusion of a first round pick as Bertans would likely cost more as is and they can receive Maxey and Thybulle to counteract little more than some final games to soak in Lowry’s time with the franchise.