Title: Should the Raptors go all-in to acquire James Harden? The pros and cons
Date: December 22, 2020
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, Eric Koreen and I looked at a potential James Harden acquisition for the Raptors.
Welcome to another edition of Raptors Reasonablists with Eric Koreen and Blake Murphy. Throughout the year, Raptors staff writers Koreen and Murphy discuss hot-button issues surrounding the team, but with an even-keeled approach in pursuit of finding a reasonable middle ground.
If we have faith in anything, it is that reasonable middle grounds lead to a) workable long-term solutions; b) increased empathy and understanding for others; and c) more wins — at least more wins when they truly matter, probably. We hold these truths to be self-evident, and we hold these truths to be good truths.
KOREEN: Blake, one of the five or so best players in the NBA is unhappy with his team, and would like to be traded. He has one, maybe two, preferred destinations, but his current team does not necessarily have any incentive to trade him to one of those places. In fact, one of his preferred destinations has a front office that his team might specifically not want to negotiate with. The Raptors are looking at an uncertain future, coming off a second-round defeat with no obvious path toward an all-out tank or high-end championship contender. There are other teams that could likely make better offers for this star, but the Raptors might have the type of package that is compelling to the player’s current team.
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 