Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Trade Market Rife with Center Options for the Raptors
With NBA trade season kicking off in less than 24 hours, the Toronto Raptors remain stuck in a bit of a holding pattern.
How good is this team? It's been the unanswerable question this season as Toronto continues to battle a seemingly endless wave of injuries to key long-term players. With OG Anunoby and Khem Birch sidelined for almost a month now and Precious Achiuwa now in the NBA's Health & Safety protocols, the Raptors haven't been able to truly gauge their need for frontcourt help.
Fortunately, there's still plenty of time before the February 10 NBA trade deadline and a trade market that appears to be rife with center talent should Toronto decide to make a move.
Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner
Myles Turner has headlined the list of defensive-minded center options available to be moved this season ever since The Athletic broke the story that the Indiana Pacers are moving toward a rebuild. The 25-year-old Turner is a 6-foot-11 center with the kind of 3-and-D skills the Raptors should be looking for. He's shooting 38% from behind the arc this season and leads the NBA in blocks. Trading for Turner isn't going to come cheap, but he'd stabilize Toronto's frontcourt rotation and give the Raptors their cornerstone big for the foreseeable future.
Indiana Pacers: Domantas Sabonis
The most talented big on the market is expected to be Indiana's other center Domantas Sabonis. The two-time All-Star is averaging 18.6 points with 4.1 assists, and 11.9 rebounds per game on 59% shooting. Also 25, he too would give Toronto a franchise center for the future, but his high offensive usage and lackluster defensive skills don't make him a great fit for the Raptors, at least not at the cost the Pacers will be asking for.
Portland Trail Blazers: Jusuf Nurkic
As the Portland Trail Blazers continue to sputter, reports have surfaced suggesting 6-foot-11 center Jusef Nurkic could be moved mid-season to help shake up the Trail Blazers rotation, according to Bleacher Report. At 27 years old, Nurkic is on the older side of Toronto's timeline and with a checkered injury history and free agency this summer, a deal with Portland doesn't make a ton of sense.
Brooklyn Nets: Nic Claxton
If the Raptors aren't going to pay up for a top-tier center this season, there are a handful of bigs who shouldn't come at quite the exorbitant price tag, starting with Brooklyn Nets big Nic Claxton, who is "quietly" on the market, per Bleacher Report. Claxton missed 17 games this season with a non-COVID illness, but he's finally back and making a difference on the defensive end for the Nets. He's not going to put up gaudy offensive stats, but he's a versatile 6-foot-11 big who can lock down the paint and switch out to the perimeter in a pinch. With how the Raptors like to play defensively, Claxton certainly makes sense as a 22-year-old prospect to keep an eye on.
New Orleans Pelicans: Jaxson Hayes
The eighth overall selection in the 2019 NBA Draft, Jaxon Hayes has quickly fallen out of favor in New Orleans Pelicans and is reportedly available to be moved this year, according to Bleacher Report. Hayes hasn't done much to impress in his brief NBA career, but he's just 21 years old and makes some sense as a buy-low reclamation project for Toronto.
Phoenix Suns: Jalen Smith
Another re-draft candidate, the 6-foot-10 Jalen Smith hasn't lived up to his 2020 lottery pick status in Phoenix and could be on his way out of town this year, according to Bleacher Report. He's been forced to play a little out of position as a power forward instead of a center for the Suns and would seem to be a good buy-low option to potentially stabilize the center spot for the Raptors. There isn't an obvious trade to be made, but at just 21 years old, Toronto should certainly sniff around to see what it would cost for the young big.
Sacramento Kings: Marvin Bagley III
The former second overall pick in the 2018 draft, Marvin Bagley III has already asked to be traded this season and the Sacramento Kings are reportedly willing to listen to offers, per the Sacramento Bee. At 22 years old, Bagley still has enough upside to make him an intriguing piece as a rim-running big with an inconsistent defensive track record. At the right price, he too makes sense for the Raptors.
Further Reading
Raptors wins like Monday's over the Kings can't be taken for granted these days
Raptors believe an egalitarian late-game offense will work best in the clutch
