The Raptors Contacted The Cavs About Kyrie Irving Because They’d Be ‘Remiss Not To’

Kyrie Irving‘s trade request is one of the few things yet to be resolved this NBA offseason. It’s been weeks since he asked Dan Gilbert and the front office for a ticket out of Cleveland. More than a dozen teams inquired about Irving’s cost, which at one point was a package that could help the Cavaliers compete in the immediate sense.

But now that the trade has been complicated by what happens to James after next season, the package the Cavs have in mind for Irving is changing. That means teams that once merely inquired about the point guard could become bigger players in trade rumors.

One intriguing team in that regard is the Toronto Raptors, and general manager Bobby Webster told reporters that the team did indeed ask about Irving’s availability.

“Definitely,” Webster said. “When a player like that becomes available you’d be remiss not to call.”

This is significant not in that the Raptors are a favorite to land Irving, but that this kind of logic is common in the NBA. And when the target for the Cavaliers changes as far as what it costs to acquire Irving, it means the teams who can actually pull off a deal change as well.

It’s clear the Raptors would like to get Irving on their team. but it’s hard to say if the franchise has the young assets Cleveland would want to make a move like that. Still, it’s one of the many phone calls the Cavs got that, as Webster says, “doesn’t really see the light of day.”