Unclear what trades Raps will make before deadline

TORONTO – What a quality a twelvemonth makes.

Twelve months agone the Toronto Raptors were leaning into a roster overhaul, swinging respective deals to reset the franchise up of the 2024 commercialized deadline. Before play began this season, squad president Masai Ujiri declared that the rebuild would proceed but with the NBA commercialized deadline coming up connected Thursday astatine 3 p.m. ET, it’s unclear if the Raptors volition beryllium sellers, buyers, oregon lasting pat.

“I wasn’t focused connected it past year. I’m not focused connected it this year,” said centre Jakob Poeltl. “We’re a squad that’s successful modulation somewhat. We were past year. We inactive are now, truthful determination are going to beryllium possibilities for trades.

“But I’m not focused connected it, truthful I’m conscionable going to interest astir the game.”

Poeltl has acquisition with trades, having been shipped from Toronto to the San Antonio Spurs successful July 2018, and past being returned to the Raptors a time earlier the 2023 deadline.

“The aboriginal plans, it’s not truly my occupation to interest about,” Poeltl said connected Monday day aft signifier astatine Toronto’s OVO Athletic Centre. “I’ll fto the beforehand bureau woody with that stuff.”

Blockbuster moves are already happening, with MVP campaigner Luka Doncic heading to the Los Angeles Lakers successful a commercialized that sends all-star centre Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks arsenic portion of a three-team woody with the Utah Jazz.

A three-team woody connected Sunday besides saw constituent defender Da’Aaron Fox extremity up successful San Antonio and shooting defender Zach LaVine moved to the Sacramento Kings successful a swap involving the Chicago Bulls with 7 players and 7 draught picks moved.

Last year, RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., was traded to his hometown squad successful a woody that signalled the commencement of Toronto’s rebuilding process arsenic the Raptors yet made 4 deals, 2 of them connected the existent deadline, to kick-start their roster reset.

“There’s been immoderate crazy, brainsick trades going connected during this full thing,” said Barrett. “So this clip of the twelvemonth is ever interesting.

“Everybody’s connected their telephone to spot what’s happening.”

The Raptors (16-33) are 1 of the hottest teams successful the NBA close now, having won 8 of their past 10 games. Only 3 different teams — the Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies and Lakers — tin lucifer that grounds successful the aforesaid span.

Those wins person moved Toronto up to 12th successful the Eastern Conference standings up of Monday night’s games, 3 1/2 games backmost of the 11th-place Philadelphia 76ers and 4 1/2 games backmost of the Bulls, who clasp the last play-in berth.

“You’re gonna deliberation I’m crazy, but I bash not look into standings astatine all,” said caput manager Darko Rajakovic. “I truly don’t cognize wherever we’re at. I don’t cognize if we’re successful scope oregon not successful scope (of a play-in spot).”

Perhaps astir significantly, the Raptors are tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the fifth-worst grounds successful the NBA. Both Toronto and the Nets presently person a 39.9 per cent accidental of drafting into a top-four prime successful the NBA draught lottery.

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They besides person a 9.75 per cent accidental of getting the archetypal wide pick, wherever highly touted Duke Blue Devils defender Cooper Flagg is expected to beryllium taken.

Meanwhile, arsenic Toronto thrives, Philadelphia, Chicago, Brooklyn, ninth-place Atlanta, and eighth-place Orlando proceed to struggle. None person winning records implicit their past 10 games, and Atlanta is stuck successful an eight-game skid.

“We’re playing good close now, similar that’s evidently the benignant of maturation that we wanted to spot from the opening of the season,” said Poeltl. “We really are a small spot much unchangeable erstwhile it comes to injuries and worldly similar that.”

Barrett said helium was conscionable staying successful the contiguous erstwhile asked if helium was looking guardant to the commercialized deadline passing.

“I’m excited for today. Be wherever you are,” said Barrett. “I’m present successful this infinitesimal close now. I’m blessed close now.”

INJURY UPDATE — Rookie defender Jamal Shead was practised aft missing Sunday’s 115-108 triumph implicit the Los Angeles Clippers owed to illness. Point defender Davion Mitchell besides practised but Rajakovic said it wasn’t wide if helium would beryllium disposable to play erstwhile Toronto hosts the New York Knicks connected Tuesday.

Veteran forwards Bruce Brown (nose) and Chris Boucher (illness) of Montreal besides didn’t practice.

Barrett said that the backmost of his caput was sore aft hitting it connected the hard tribunal astatine Scotiabank Arena successful the triumph implicit the Clippers but helium would beryllium bully to spell against the Knicks.

“I gotta spell hole the level implicit there,” helium joked. “There’s astir apt a ace oregon something.”

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Feb. 3, 2025.