The Toronto Raptors need help. Having lost six of their last seven games, they’re forced to confront whether it’s as good as it once thought.
RJ Barrett’s absence with a right knee sprain has been the center of attention. The offense has hit a wall, once flirting with the top five but now completely halting at 29th in the nine games he’s missed. Still, head coach Darko Rajakovic has a plethora of young players to lean on at this position.
Ja’Kobe Walter has been the main starter in Barrett’s absence, Gradey Dick has had opportunities, as have Jamison Battle and, most recently, AJ Lawson. Their contributions have been inconsistent, as one might expect from a young group.
The growing concern since the start of the season is Jakob Poeltl’s back. He has missed seven of the Raptors’ 26 games and generally been held out of one end of back-to-backs.
During recent defeats to the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, Jakob Poeltl looked just as stiff as he did in the first four games of the season that featured some ugly losses. Toronto doesn’t have a true replacement. Sandro Mamukelashvili is looking like one of the bargain signings of the summer but he’s not an elite rim protector, screen-setter or rebounder.
In short, Toronto needs another legitimately bruising body if Poeltl is going to continue missing games. Up against the luxury tax with an expensive starting five, flexibility is limited. Where does that leave the Raptors in terms of options? Let’s take a closer look.
Upper Tier Of Davis, Gobert Offers Sizable Risk
Let’s cut to the chase here. It is quite difficult for the Raptors to create a path to acquiring Anthony Davis. His salary ($54 million this season) would require at least Poeltl, Barrett and Ochai Agbaji. Considering his injury history, the future money is tough to get on board with, as he’ll be eligible for an extension in the summer (four years, $275 million). Lastly, and perhaps most significantly, Davis has expressed on multiple occasions not wanting to play the center position.
Rudy Gobert makes considerably less money than Davis ($35 million), has played at least 65 games each of the past seven seasons and can still anchor a defense, even if he’s dropped a notch below his best. He doesn’t offer any credible scoring or playmaking threat, can have his weaknesses magnified to an alarming degree in the postseason and is a controversial figure. Minnesota is short of guard depth, so a framework of Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley for Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo and Rob Dillingham may be a conversation starter.
Does Ivica Zubac become available if the Los Angeles Clippers’ season maintains its current nosedive? The Clippers are starved of both draft capital and young talent and he may be part of the path to rebuilding some of it. Zubac would be a great fit in Toronto with his stellar defense, rim protection and just the right amount of scoring pop. He’d be an instant hit with Toronto’s Croatian community, too.
If Giannis Antetokounmpo pursues a trade out of Milwaukee, Myles Turner may become available as well. He would offer the size and floor-spacing this team needs but not quite the rebounding. Like the Clippers, the Bucks would certainly be craving draft capital and young talent.
Mid-Tier With Gafford, Claxton Doesn’t Move Needle
We’re not going to spend too much time here. The likes of Daniel Gafford, Nic Claxton and Nikola Vucevic are not moving the needle for this Raptors team, not for what they would cost anyway.
If there is someone considered a bit below the aforementioned names but still intriguing with a more manageable salary, it would be the Orlando Magic’s Goga Bitadze. The tricky part here is he’s proven a valuable piece of the Magic rotation and Mo Wagner remains out injured.
There’s a world in which Wagner comes back looking like his pre-injury self and Bitadze becomes more expendable. The Raptors may be hoping this is that world.
Lower Tier Of Lopez, Looney May Be Most Realistic Bargain Option
If the Clippers continue to slide, Brook Lopez should be a low-cost option for the Raptors. No longer the player he was with the Bucks, Lopez may also not be struggling as badly as his time with the Clippers indicates. That is a roster so old it is exacerbating Lopez’s biggest weaknesses at age 37. Toronto is much younger and playing alongside capable defenders like Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe Walter and Collin-Murray Boyles in the second unit might look quite different.
Kevon Looney is someone the New Orleans Pelicans pursued to be a veteran presence, so that may be a hindrance on the their part. Agbaji’s salary, along with a familiar veteran in Garrett Temple, may be something worth considering. His championship experience would be invaluable to the Raptors and he’d certainly help address some of the rebounding concerns.
We can’t talk about the Raptors without considering at least one Canadian option and it wouldn’t be surprising that, despite all the rumors pointing toward Davis and Gafford, Bobby Webster and Co. instead came away with Dwight Powell. Expected to retire at the end of the season, an opportunity to play for his home team may provide a little extra juice as he approaches the finish line. Naturally, Toronto would have to surrender very little to acquire him at his $4 million salary.
There is a 13-year veteran in Charlotte seeing very little playing time as the Hornets prioritize the development of Ryan Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabate. Mason Plumlee offers very little by way of rim protection or even just overall defense but still checks out as a very good rebounder. He’s got good passing instincts, too, an aspect that would be a good fit in Rajakovic’s system.
