In one of the more under-the-radar moves on deadline day earlier this week, the Toronto Raptors traded veteran point guard Goran Dragic and a protected 2022 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs for Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks and a 2022 second-round pick.
Dragic, who was traded to Toronto in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade last summer, has played just five games all season and left the Raptors for personal reasons in November.
“Goran came in here and I think he was a great professional and did everything we asked and really exceeded every expectation that we had, first as a person,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said following the trade. “We wanted to develop our young players and Goran also respected that. I know he acted in the best professional way and hopefully we tried to give him the best support that we could.”
Recently he’s been working out on his own in preparation of a buyout, which he’s expected to complete with the Spurs in the coming days, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Once the two sides come to an agreement, Dragic will become a free agent and will be able to sign with pretty much any contending team he wants. The list of interested teams, per Wojnarowski, includes the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks. It’s also worth mentioning the Miami Heat in that mix considering he spent six-plus seasons there and was recently spotted working out in the team’s facility.
Though Dragic is now 35 years old, he put up 13.4 points and 4.4 assists per game, and shot 37.3 percent from 3-point range last season with the Heat. With plenty of time to rest and get healthy over the past few months, there’s no question he can still help a team down the stretch. He’s tough, makes good decisions with the ball, and shoots it well from the outside. Every team could use a veteran like that.
