Grade the trade: Mock trade has Kings acquire Anunoby

Kings – Raptors Mock Trade: Is it good for either team?

The Raptors would have to be taking a weaker offer than they could get from other teams if they were to take this deal from the Kings. While the first-round picks are nice, they are years out and the Raptors aren’t the kind of team that wants to lose a lot of talent without regaining some of it sooner rather than later.

Mitchell does feel like a good fit for them, but Holmes feels unnecessary and would likely be a negative asset in their eyes. Mitchell is a good role player but he can only do so much and the Raptors need to target more impactful players for their top-tier talent at this year’s trade deadline.

On the Kings side of things, it looks even worse. While Anunoby would be a great fit on the roster on paper, giving up this much to acquire his services makes little to no sense. Not only would the Kings need to work something out with the Hawks but they’d then be shipping even more first-round picks out.

We have seen plenty of teams get burned by that approach. The Kings are better suited hanging onto their firsts unless the return for them involves a legitimate superstar player.

Sacramento is slightly ahead of pace in their retooling, at least in terms of what we expected from them. There is no reason to panic and overspend because of their record.

Hanging onto Mitchell and the first-round picks is a smart move both short-term and long-term. There is no need for Anunoby, who wouldn’t make the Kings sudden title contenders anyway.\

Kings – Raptors Mock Trade Final Grade: D-

At the end of the day, this trade is a loser for all parties. Although the Kings would be better for the rest of the season and the Raptors would have a slightly better long-term outlook, neither team should be looking at this trade framework with excitement.

Back to the drawing board for these fanbases.