Does this trade make sense for the Toronto Raptors?
A lot would have to happen for the Raptors to want to make this trade, but they definitely come out on top of this trade in terms of return value. Al Horford could definitely make more of a difference for them in the frontcourt than both Aron Baynes and Rodney Hood combined, but the salary hit that Horford brings with him is not pretty.
Horford still has two years on his contract after this season and he is owed a total of $53.5M through the 2022-23 season before becoming an unrestricted free agent. This is a lot of money for the Raptors to take on, especially if they are looking to quickly rebuild their team into a contender again.
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The only good thing about Horford’s contract is that it is partially-guaranteed for the final season at $14.5M. This is still a lot of money to pay a 35+ year old forward, but Horford can still make an impact and may be worth the risk of investment.
Basically, this move depends on two things for the Raptors: one being if they are comfortable financially with taking on Horford’s contract and two being the status of Khem Birch and his future with the Raptors.
Khem Birch has been really solid as the starting center for the Raptors in his short stint with them this season and at a smaller price, they could potentially bring Birch back and get more production from him than they would from Horford.
This move is a gamble for the Toronto Raptors and they should not be looking to make this decision quickly. This is a potential trade that could happen late into the offseason and near the start of next season.
