Anthony Davis is a 10-time All-Star, a five-time All-Defensive Team member and a former champion.
If the Dallas Mavericks are ready to move on from him, teams will be interested. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Toronto Raptors will be alongside the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks as teams at the front of the line for his services.
The Raptors have plateaued after a hot start and increasingly look like a team that needs to be firing on all cylinders to win.
“One big lesson that I take away from the course of the season is we have little margin for error,” Brandon Ingram said after Toronto’s NBA Cup Quarterfinal loss to the New York Knicks. “Especially when guys are in and out of the lineup… especially when we play really, really good teams.”
Superstar talents expand that margin and Davis is a superstar talent. Considering the lack of genuine size on the Raptors, it would be foolish to not do proper due diligence on the possibility of acquiring Davis.
With the general lack of top-tier talent in the East this season, the right deal could shift the entire dynamic of the conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo is at the top of the list but how much longer he remains a member of the Milwaukee Bucks is also up in the air.
Toronto has a history of entering these chats for top talents that may be available at a discount. They did it with Kawhi Leonard when he was disgruntled in San Antonio and again last season with Ingram as he was wasting away in New Orleans.
Does a swing for Davis fit the bill?
What Will Trading For Davis Cost Raptors?
Any Davis trade scenario would most likely involve sending out RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl (trade eligible Jan. 7) for salary purposes. Davis earns $54.1 million this season while Barrett makes $27.7 million and Poeltl’s at $19.5 million. From there, it’s a matter of figuring out which salaries among Collin Murray-Boyles, Ja’Kobe Walter, Gradey Dick and Ochai Agbaji is deemed worthy of including on both sides.
Toronto would still have to provide adequate draft capital. Neither Barrett nor Poeltl as the headliner in a deal for Davis would sit well with the Dallas public, especially as the face of the return for Luka Doncic. Toronto owns all of its future first-round picks through the 2032 season.
Beyond that, Davis’ agent Rich Paul is reportedly intent on Davis signing an extension this summer when he is eligible for a four-year, $275 million deal. Is any team going to offer that to a player as injury prone as Davis? That length of contract for a player turning 33 in March may be a tough pill to swallow, too.
The Raptors would need some sort of proof of concept in the second half of the season to believe an expensive extension — even at, say, three years, $180 million — is worth it. His previous deal was for $175 million over three years. He’ll earn $58.5 million next season and has a $62.8 million player option in 2027-28.
Davis Can Make The Raptors An All-World Defense
The combination of Scottie Barnes and Davis is enough to give any opposing team fits. Barnes leads the league in combined steals and blocks and is well on course for his first All-Defensive Team selection. Their collective rim protection would create a no-fly zone that makes opponents think twice, thrice and maybe a fourth time about attacking the basket.
Toronto currently ranks seventh in defensive rating and Poeltl has been an important contributor when moving well. While he has been a very impactful player with his rim protection and overall defensive positioning, Davis would represent a clear upgrade.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic wants his perimeter players to apply timely ball pressure and, after a few early struggles where the team was too aggressive, it all came together quite nicely when the Raptors won 13 out of 14. Even during this recent 1-6 skid without Barrett, the defense has held up far better than the offense.
Immanuel Quickley has found the right balance and timing of his defensive aggression. Jamal Shead, Walter and Murray-Boyles all net out as plus defenders.
Will The Raptors’ Margin For Error Tangibly Change?
When the Phoenix Suns decided to trade for Kevin Durant, he was 34 years old and three years removed from a ruptured Achilles that cost him the entire 2019-20 season.
So, when Mat Ishbia wanted to make a big splash in turning to Durant, the risk was clear. Surrendering Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round picks and another first-round swap meant the move needed to pay off big time.
Phoenix lost so much in terms of two quality wings and future roster-building opportunities with the draft picks that even Durant couldn’t overcome it. This is the clearest recent example of there being a line you can’t cross, even for superstar talent.
With a player as injury prone as Davis and the pieces needed to be sacrificed, that has to be part of the equation for the Raptors. Losing draft capital, Barrett, Poeltl and another young player could haunt the Raptors for years to come.
Let’s also remember Davis has indicated on multiple occasions he does not like to play the center position. So, would Toronto have to go make another transaction and get a big man to play alongside Davis? That lineup would be as clunky as it gets, sliding Ingram to shooting guard and Barnes to small forward.
Raptors Should Lean Against Move For Davis
Considering everything at play, the positives are outweighed by several factors. Davis’ injury history in a season he turns 33 before the playoffs tops the list. If the Raptors are looking to stabilize the center position because Poeltl is dealing with a bad back, acquiring an extremely injury prone player — even if he is a superstar — is not much of a solution.
Davis does not make the Raptors a championship contender. The lack of depth would still leave them short of what’s needed to come out of the East. For now, Toronto is best remembering it is coming off a 30-win season. Somewhere between 45-50 wins and a top-six spot would still be considered a successful season.
Poeltl’s back is a concern and the center spot needs shoring up. Someone capable of filling in as a spot starter and backing Poeltl up on other nights likely helps the Raptors both in the short- and long-term more than any big swing.
