San Antonio Received a Protected First for Thaddeus Young
On February 10, 2022, Toronto acquired veteran forward Thaddeus Young, center Drew Eubanks and a second-round selection eventually used at No. 33 on Christian Koloko. The Raptors sent Goran Dragić and a protected 2022 first-round choice to San Antonio; that pick became No. 20 and was used on Malaki Branham. Toronto had used Dragić only sparingly since obtaining him in a previous transaction, and sought a frontcourt playmaker for a team anchored by Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet. San Antonio preferred the first-round asset and a veteran contract it could manage during a rebuilding period. The pick protections mattered because Toronto did not simply hand away an unprotected lottery selection. The agreement altered the draft position of both clubs and delivered a player plus a second to Toronto.
Young Gave Toronto Experienced Playoff Minutes
Young appeared in 26 Raptors games after the trade during 2021-22, contributing rebounding, defense and passing from the forward position. Toronto returned to the playoffs and lost to Philadelphia in the first round, with Young available as a reserve option behind the main frontcourt group. Eubanks did not establish a separate Raptors playing tenure and quickly signed elsewhere. The No. 33 second-round choice was used on Koloko, a young center who supplied shot blocking during his rookie season before health problems complicated his career. Toronto’s inherited D grade is harsh given real Young minutes and the second-round pick, but the team did surrender a higher first-round selection. It is therefore important to count the draft order difference rather than treating the acquisition as a simple trade for a veteran who produced no NBA minutes.
The Spurs Turned the First-Round Pick Into Branham
San Antonio used the acquired No. 20 choice in 2022 on Ohio State guard Malaki Branham. He played regular NBA minutes as a young scoring prospect during the Spurs next roster cycle. Dragić’s role in San Antonio was primarily contractual and he did not become a sustained Spurs point guard after the deadline. The future development potential of a first-round guard still exceeded the shorter Young Toronto stint in the inherited A- Spurs grade. Toronto obtained an experienced contributor and a lower second, but San Antonio secured the more valuable draft slot. The Spurs Win verdict follows the long-term player-development calculation instead of the limited initial effect of the veteran contracts. Branham’s performances for San Antonio after 2022 are properly counted for the club that received the pick, while his pre-draft college scoring is background only.
Final Verdict
Spurs Win. San Antonio earns A- for Goran Dragić and a protected first-rounder that became 2022 No. 20 Malaki Branham. Toronto gets D for Thaddeus Young, Drew Eubanks and No. 33 Christian Koloko. The Raptors gained frontcourt depth, but San Antonio secured a higher draft position.