Raptors Swing Big, But Miss at Trade Deadline

The Toronto Raptors had a quieter trade deadline than they could have based on the rumours.

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes dribbles against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Toronto Raptors are feeling their anxiety weaken as the trade deadline has come and gone.

While the Raptors made two moves to get under the tax, they were projected to be bigger players at the deadline than they were. While the Raptors are showing confidence in their current roster, it's hard to believe that this was a successful deadline for the team.

Considering the fact the Raptors were linked to all-star big men in Anthony Davis and Domantas Sabonis, but ended up with only a reserve in Trayce Jackson-Davis of the Golden State Warriors, it definitely leaves a lot to be desired.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland drives against Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Raptors Fall Short at Trade Deadline

Overall, this is definitely not a detriment for the Raptors. They have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference all season long. And the current roster has done enough to give the front office the opportunity to bet on them for one playoff run. However, given the fact that teams like the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers went big with trades for former All-Stars, the Raptors' package looks a bit tame.

The Raptors did get a future Hall-of-Famer in Chris Paul, which showed general manager Bobby Webster's creative side to duck under the tax, but they were unable to flip his contract to acquire more or something more substantial for the team.

Paul will eventually be waived, which opens up a roster spot for the team. But it remains to be seen what the Raptors would actually do with it. It's clear the team could use some size, and there is potential for a few players on the market to sign with the Raptors for the rest of the season.

The name that sounds the most intriguing for this particular opening is Chris Boucher, the former Raptors big man who played with the Boston Celtics for the first part of the season before being traded to the Utah Jazz in a salary dump. Boucher will be looking for a new team in the buyout market, and the Raptors could make the most sense for him.

The Raptors could also look at players like Cam Thomas, who has shown signs of being a prolific scorer, or Pat Connaughton, who could be a sharp 3-point shooter that fills a need for the team, but there is still a lot of uncertainty for the Raptors.

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