JUNE 28: The trade is official, the Raptors announced in a press release, confirming the details outlined below. Toronto used the No. 45 pick to select Houston Cougars guard Jamal Shead on Thursday.
“This trade provides us with a mix of young and veteran players, as well as future flexibility and draft assets, as we continue our quest to win, and so we’re pleased to welcome Davion, Sasha and Jamal to the Raptors and to Toronto,” Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said in a statement. “We thank Jalen for his contributions, and we wish him all the best in the future.”
Because the trade was completed before the new league year began, Toronto completed it using salary-matching and the Siakam trade exception (as explained below) rather than using cap room, which is a signal that they intend to operate over the cap this offseason.
JUNE 27: The Kings have agreed to trade guard Davion Mitchell and forward Sasha Vezenkov to the Raptors, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Toronto is also receiving the No. 45 pick in tonight’s draft, per Wojnarowski (Twitter link), as well as Portland’s 2025 second-round pick, according to Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter link).
Sacramento will acquire forward Jalen McDaniels from Toronto in the swap, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter).
The ninth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Mitchell averaged 11.5 points per game as a rookie but is primarily known as a defensive specialist. In 2023/24, he averaged 5.3 points and 1.9 assists in 15.3 minutes per game across 72 appearances for the Kings, almost exclusively in a reserve role.
Keon Ellis‘ emergence last season and the arrival of No. 13 pick Devin Carter created a crowded backcourt picture in Sacramento and it appears Mitchell will be the odd man out.
Vezenkov, the 2022/23 EuroLeague MVP, was selected 57th overall in the 2017 draft but didn’t make the move to the NBA until last summer, when he signed a three-year, $20MM contract with the Kings. It was an up-and-down NBA rookie year for the 28-year-old, who converted 37.5% of his three-point tries but averaged just 12.2 minutes per game in 42 contests, contributing 5.4 PPG and 2.3 RPG.
A series of June reports suggested that a trade involving Vezenkov was a possibility for the Kings, who projected to be up against the luxury tax after agreeing to re-sign Malik Monk to a four-year, $78MM contract. As cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets, swapping out Vezenkov’s $6.66MM salary and Mitchell’s $6.45MM cap hit for McDaniels’ incoming $4.74MM salary will give Sacramento about $7MM in spending flexibility below the tax heading into free agency.
The move will also open up a spot on the Kings’ 15-man roster and should generate a pair of trade exceptions for Sacramento, including one worth Vezenkov’s salary ($6.66MM).
McDaniels had a poor season in Toronto in 2023/24, averaging just 3.4 PPG on .344/.169/.730 shooting in 50 games (10.8 MPG). But the athletic 6’9″ wing is only one year removed from scoring a career-high 9.4 PPG, and he had a career shooting line of .465/.345/.784 prior to last season.
As for the Raptors, they’ll take on some extra salary for 2024/25 but neither Mitchell nor Vezenkov is owed guaranteed money beyond next season, and both players could vie for rotation minutes if they remain on the roster. Mitchell is extension-eligible this offseason before potentially reaching restricted free agency in 2025, while Vezenkov’s deal includes a $6.98MM team option for 2025/26.
Toronto now controls the No. 31 and No. 45 picks on Thursday after selecting Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter at No. 19 on Wednesday.
The Raptors have multiple options for how to complete the deal. If they intend to operate over the cap, they could use McDaniels’ outgoing salary to match Vezenkov’s incoming figure, then take Mitchell’s salary into a $10MM+ trade exception they created in January’s Pascal Siakam deal. If they plan to operate under the cap, they’ll simply absorb the two incoming salaries using their room. Taking the former route would hard-cap them at the first tax apron for 2024/25.
2 bums for one… TOGOF
Ya, I basically said this would happen in my own round 1 synopsis I did, among others…redundancies there, and I thought those were guys that could be picked up
Toronto has had a lot of moving parts the last few months, so I have to look at thei current roster, but off the top of my head, these might be guys they’ll give opportunity to in training camp b/c I can see fits
With Devin Carter and Jalen McDaniels, the Kings are prioritizing defense.
And Mitchell wasn’t defense? It’s his calling card.
Not really understanding this from the Kings perspective.
McDaniels had a bad year last year, but he’s a quality defensive 3 who can play the 4 in a pinch. It also saves them about 7 million dollars. Mitchell isn’t in the team’s plans anymore and Vezenkov wanted to be traded.
It’s a financial move. It puts them in a position to sign someone like Gary Trent Jr.
Should’ve been the Raptors giving Sac two 2nds. Or maybe their 31st pick even. Vezenkov straight up, or Vezenkov/Duarte would’ve been close to a fair deal but not this. Kings wanted to save money which makes sense but could’ve gave them Duarte who only makes 500 Gs less. And then used a young guy with potential still like Davion as a part of a bigger deal to land some other impact player, smdh.
Duarte is more of a wing player so maybe they would rather keep him than another pg like Davion Mitchell and Davion isnt THAT young tbh
Not really young no, but still has time to turn it around a la Kyle Lowry. Seems to me they just gave him away for nothing basically…no offense to JMD.
You mad your team got all that talent and regressed this past season?
Surprised to see Mitchell go, he seemed to make progress each time he was given decent minutes.
He lost minutes to Keon Ellis an undrafted g league guy. This was when Huerter and Monk being out. This move is no surprise after drafting a guard.
Mitchell was terrible last year. Everyone who watches Kings ball knew he was gone.
The Kings are going to draft Bronny
Tough trick at this minute Steph…they don’t have a pick
The Raptors can only operate as an under the cap team by letting both Bruce and Gary go. This can’t become official until July 6 and it’d be contingent on whether they find a trade for Bruce’s team option by Saturday.
This aged poorly because you were totally wrong
Unless there is another Trade in the works, this is a head scratcher for me. They Only cleared $6m, not enough to go out and get any meaningful player that can help them now. Fox has refused to sign his Max Extension, until he sees how the roster will shape up. So McNothing Done, better get hoppin before you lose Fox too, or he demands a Trade.
You do realize it is smarter for Fox to wait until the off season right? His extension could increase if he makes another All NBA team. It is stupid financially for him to sign an extension with 2 years still to go.
They are being cheap. This gets them under the tax. That is the reason this move was made.
This one makes no sense for the Kings for me…
It’s why Fox wants to leave. Other teams are improving and kings have remained stagnant and regressed.
“Kings remained stagnant and regressed”
They’re getting Huerter back. Resigned Monk. And just cleared some money ahead of free agency and drafted Carter.
They’re hardly stagnant and hardly regressed when they swapped out two of the lesser pieces on the roster in Mitchell and Vezenkov and still have free agency coming.
Free agency? They don’t have the means to sign any meaningful free agents. This move didn’t create any cap space it just gets them under the tax.
Y’all defend certain teams due to bias. We know if it was raptors who regressed oh boy, all the green eyed demons would be out with the pitch forks and spiky tails.
Sure you make excuses for the kings. Celtics keep improving, knicks too. Wolves, mavs did something. While kings did nothing this past season.
Where are you getting that Fox wants to leave? You pulled that directly out of your ass. Dude he named his daughter Reign…
@ Washington bonercats I pulled it from your sassy liver and lungs, then I vomit all over that crap. He is hesitant to sign an extension. Look it up and stop crying. You dudes who look to argue like chicks are disgraceful. Debate like a man or move along.
@ Washington _bonercats. Quit being sassy over a comment. Fox is hesitant to sign an extension. Man up and debate like an adult.
A crazy move, did Monte think it was Jaden they were dealing for….maybe Divac phoned this one in! lol
Raps got rid of the bust McDaniels, the solid McDaniels is in Minny.
Vezenkov will get minutes, Davion finally got dealt to Toronto.
Raps draftees Ja’Kobe, Mogbo, Shead & Chomche should work fine.
Chomche is a Ibaka in the making, if Mogbo develops a jumper he will be golden. Ja’Kobe should replace Trent Jr.
Quickly, Grady, RJ, Scottie, Poetl
Davion, Abachi,Ja’Kobe, Vezenkov, Olynyk, Mogbo, Chomche.
Then trade Bruce for Jonathan Issac and this raps team can grow and only get better.
Off night for Off-Night.