I’m going to be so real here — I hate the NBA trade deadline! It’s weeks of baseless rumours, being on edge, waiting for the shoe to drop… even though it might never drop. It has me on edge every year, and I sit here every February just counting down the seconds until it’s over. It doesn’t help that we are sitting here talking about a team that is super wishy-washy about the trade deadline historically.
In the Masai-Era of Raptors basketball, the trade deadline was used as a levelling-up tool, something
to make “right now” moves. Even if the moves at the deadline were more “for the future” moves, the “future” we were discussing was likely the immediate season after. Even the Raptors’ busiest deadline in recent history, in 23-24, when OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam were dealt, it was more to usher in a new era.
Masai was pretty outspoken about the fact that he didn’t like to deal at the deadline unless necessary. He preferred to wait until free agency, when no one was rushing him, and he could see who was available before making any decisions. Yet, with Masai gone and the Raptors in a new era, things might be different.
Don’t expect them to be too different, though. Bobby Webster went to the Masai Ujiri School of How to Operate an NBA team, and his tactics are likely similar to those of his predecessor and mentor. I wouldn’t expect Bobby to do much at the trade deadline, but here is what could happen if he does decide to pull the trigger on some deals.
Trading for a Big Man
The Raptors clearly have a Jakob Poeltl problem. Even since I wrote that linked piece in December, it’s gotten worse. Poeltl has been out for weeks trying to figure out why his back won’t get better, seeing if time makes it heal. So far, it doesn’t seem like much is working.
It seems like the Raptors’ biggest priority at the deadline may be trading for another 7-footer. We’ve known this. Yet, it’s hard to know if they are going to be willing to pay the price for what is available. Jake Fischer wrote on Jan. 15 that the Raptors want to “make an addition,” but with Davis’s new injury, what’s the point of adding ANOTHER injured big man to the mix?
Sabonis may be an option as well, but he’s only played 13 games so far this season due to (you guessed it) an injury.
It may be a matter of having no deal to make, not that the Raptors decide themselves not to do anything here.
A Change at the PG Position
There’s also chatter of replacing Immanuel Quickley with another starting point guard at the trade deadline. Quickley has been hot and cold all season long, especially struggling since his primary pick-and-roll buddy, Poeltl, has been out. He’s played more games this season after an injury-riddled year last season, but he’s looked disjointed and isn’t shooting well. His biggest problem may be consistency — when he’s good, he’s GOOD — but those instances are becoming few and far between.
This is why Toronto seemed to be in the mix for Trae Young. Yet, Young seemed to want a guarantee that he was going to receive a contract extension from whichever team he signed with, and Bobby likely wasn’t down. Thankful for that, though. Young doesn’t play good defense and it was a no from me.
Ja Morant is floating around conversations now, as apparently, his time in Memphis is dwindling. Maybe I know too much about these guys, but I’m not into the idea of Morant here. Sure, he has some history with Darko Rajakovic, but he hasn’t really impressed over the past few seasons, between injuries and off-court behaviour violations leading to lengthy suspensions. I heard someone say “the best trait a player can bring is availability” recently, and that’s kinda my vibe here.
SO, do the Raptors do anything at the deadline? My gut says no, but my brain says maybe.
