How does blockbuster NBA weekend impact Raptors’ trade chips at deadline?

The NBA saw all the big-name moves happening around the NHL and said, “That’s cool, watch this!“

On an otherwise mundane weekend, the basketball world was flipped on its head … twice. First, the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers swapped stars Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis in a secretive, never-before-seen deal. It marked the first time two reigning All-NBA players were traded for each other mid-season, and also the lone instance two 25-plus point-per-game scorers were directly exchanged.

Then, one night later, Sacramento sent its All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox to his preferred destination of San Antonio, pairing him with Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama in a three-team deal that netted the Kings Zach LaVine from the Bulls and a boat-load of picks.

Are you keeping up? Yeah, me neither, but that’s why we call it the Never Boring Association these days.

And while trying to make sense of it all — whether it’s the Mavs’ financial motivations and supposed distrust of Doncic’s conditioning, the Lakers’ succession plan post-LeBron James somehow falling into their lap, or how the Kings’ twinkly story-book run came to such a dim end — the reality is no one can dwell on any of it for much longer.

The Feb. 6 trade deadline is mere days away and if these mega-deals taught us anything, it’s that nothing is off the table anymore. Executives, like the rest of us, will have to pick their jaws up off the floor and get back to work.

How far the ripples of these trades reach remains to be determined. But given the star power involved, other organizations may start chucking up full-court heaves of their own. A thought now crossing the minds of even the top players.

“If (Doncic) can get traded, anyone is up for grabs,” Suns’ All-Star Kevin Durant said when reacting to the weekend’s first blockbuster. “Every other team might get confidence to say ‘(expletive) it, I’ll trade a few of my top players if this ain’t working.’”

And although “(expletive) it” is daunting to some front offices, others will surely see it as an opportunity. The logic that fortune may actually favour the bold and getting in on the frenzy could uncover a new path forward.

Just ask Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri, who is no stranger to that concept. After all, he is the architect who designed Canada’s first NBA title by bringing a disgruntled Kawhi Leonard north of the border along with subsequent meaningful dealings.

Now, Ujiri reportedly wants a “significant piece” next to ascending forward Scottie Barnes. But whether that’s through the draft or via trade (or both) hasn’t been written in pen. The Raptors (16-33) are well on their way to prime lottery odds but have also been linked to All-Star calibre talent via trade.

The thing is, they can’t approach the plate the same way they did last time. Unlike the Raptors’ previous big swing (which was a home run), draft capital is far more precious to this rebuilding group, and they don’t have a bonafide All-Star they’re willing to part with like a DeMar DeRozan.

But, what they do have is some handy vets, expiring contracts and one of the league’s most opportunistic front offices. So, how might Ujiri cash those chips in this new post-blockbuster landscape, and where could those players land? Let’s see if we can figure that out.

Could Jakob Poeltl be heading West?

The Austrian big man is clearly of value to the Raptors — leading Toronto in games played, rebounds, blocks and is fifth in scoring — so it’s not likely he’s moved. But as Sportsnet’s Michael Grange reported, no one outside of Barnes or sophomore Gradey Dick is “untouchable.” That word also now means a whole lot less after the weekend.

While the Raptors seem uneager to part with Poeltl — reports indicating a steep price tag of “more than a first-round pick” — the landscape has shifted such that Toronto needs to keep an open mind.

And remember when I mentioned the ripple effect from those blockbuster deals? This could be one of them. The Lakers’ desperation for a centre has been magnified tenfold following Davis’ departure (Ironically, he was the one urging L.A. to add a big so he could return to playing power forward. AD got what he asked for … sort of). While Davis enjoys suiting up next to Dereck Lively II in Dallas, and the Lakers look forward to deploying Doncic and James together — both less-than-defenders at this point — they’ll need serious rim protection.

The Lakers are set up for the future, sure, but by no means is this year a wash. They’re 28-19, fifth in the West and just acquired a five-time All-NBA first team-er. The time to build around their Slovenian superstar is now, and adding a safety valve on both ends, like Poeltl, would be a great place to start. And by not giving away their 2031 first-rounder in acquiring Doncic, there are resources to keep upgrading.

And that stench of desperation is exactly what Ujiri tries to get a whiff of before he comes calling.

Once upon a time, the Orlando Magic got two firsts from the Bulls in a deal centred around then-30-year-old Nikola Vucevic (who’s seemingly back on the market now). While Poeltl isn’t quite the 20-point scorer that the two-time All-Star is, he’s a markedly better defender, a smidge cheaper and five years younger. Could that be a point of reference for the Raptors’ front office?

If the price is right — say that ’31 first and maybe even a budding player like Dalton Knecht — I wouldn’t put it past Ujiri to wave goodbye to Poeltl for a second time, no matter how much of a security blanket he acts as for Toronto’s youngsters.

Or could Ujiri try his luck with Dallas? The Mavericks have no choice but to try and win a title in the next couple of seasons to justify shipping away Doncic. And that includes this year, despite being ninth in the West at 26-24. But with Lively out for another extended period due to injury, the frontcourt doesn’t look as sturdy, while concerns over his health are seemingly growing. At 20 years old, his upside is evident, but the Mavericks have no time to wait for it to be realized, especially if he keeps missing games in between. The Raptors, on the other hand, can be plenty patient. Swapping the two could give Toronto its centre of the future while affording Dallas a starting big man for its current title chase.

Other possible landing spots: Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans

Giddyup cowboy

Born in Massachusetts, played college ball in Miami and spent most of his NBA career on the East Coast. Is it time to send Bruce Brown Jr. to the Lone Star State like he so clearly longs for?

Going back to ripples, just like the Lakers magnified a weakness through the blockbuster deal, so did the Mavericks. With Doncic now gone, Dallas will be reliant near-exclusively on the services of Kyrie Irving (32) and Spencer Dinwiddie (31) to handle the ball and set up its plethora of rim-running bigs.

One injury to either vet and things get dicey rather quickly for a “win now” team as Mavs GM Nico Harrison described. Adding Cowboy Bruce — who’s been on form, averaging 10.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists through his last 8 games — may not be such a bad idea as a tertiary ball-handler to steady second-unit lineups, especially given he’s on an expiring deal and would afford Dallas room to tinker further in the summer should they choose.

And as far as the open market goes, Brown is one of the more proven commodities available in terms of playoff experience. He was a pivotal role player next to Nikola Jokic, and for the Nuggets title run a couple of seasons ago, his impact was so evident it convinced the Pacers into signing him to a two-year, $45 million deal the Raptors are now trying to leverage.

Brown’s contract and ability to play around star talent makes him a snug fit on multiple rosters around the NBA, so it’s not a surprise he’s been linked to so many scenarios — namely a trade structure centred around Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler.

And while the Mavericks don’t have an abundance of picks to offer the Raptors, if they were willing to move off, say 26-year-old P.J. Washington — whose spot in the starting lineup next to Davis and Lively doesn’t quite add up — and threw in Montreal’s Olivier-Maxence Prosper, maybe there’s a convo to be had. That wouldn’t be the full framework, but a reasonable start.

Again, the likelihood of all this is uncertain. But focusing on being pragmatic after what just happened over the weekend — and we’ve already heard plenty about the patience mantra — feels like selling short what is truly a unique moment in the NBA. Think big, dream bigger. Dallas has gone all-in and then some for this contention window, so they’ll be trying desperately to maximize the roster around its now aging core. The Raptors’ front office has a fix to offer, how they pitch it to the Mavericks would be the linchpin.

There’s also the added bonus that the NBA would undoubtedly get to see more cowboy fits from Brown, and he can do the celebratory tipping of his cap in front of a southern crowd that’ll truly appreciate it.

Other possible landing spots: Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons

Time to say au revoir?

The final remaining holdover from Toronto’s 2019 championship has survived what feels like at least three seasons of trade rumours, but it may finally be time to say goodbye to the slender sparkplug out of Montreal.

Boucher has undoubtedly provided value to the Raptors’ second unit — they averaged nearly 40 bench points through his last 12 games played and under 30 in the three recent contests he was benched for — but his inconsistency in coach Darko Rajakovic’s rotation speaks to a non-commitment from the team towards his fit alongside Barnes’ timeline. And given that the 31-year-old’s deal is up after this season, it might be time to recoup value.

While all these mega deals have people wondering what star could be on the move next, teams already satisfied with their cornerstones have to get ready for the ensuing arms race. Squads who have their core in place are typically limited in the transactions they can execute given the new CBA, emphasizing the need to hit home runs along the fringes.

The Raptors’ six-foot-nine big man checks plenty of boxes and the league seems to know it. Boucher has reportedly been linked to squads such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Nuggets. His size, athleticism and shooting make sense for most contenders who undoubtedly have star power but lack depth up front, especially of a seasoned variety like Boucher.

Plugging the Montreal native into any top team as a ninth or 10th man seems like a no-brainer, given his ability to provide a jolt on a nightly basis. And with the short-term commitment needed to acquire his services, a deal could get done fairly easily.

While the basketball world is still reeling from the shockwaves of the weekend’s dealings, could the Raptors lure a team into paying a minor premium for Boucher so they can keep up?

Other possible landing spots: Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder

What about the others?

• Although Kelly Olynyk has been playing better lately — averaging 10-3-3 while shooting 62.5 per cent from deep over his last four outings — his value on the open market likely isn’t there. “Captain Canada” is under contract through this season and next, owed $13.4 million in 2025-26.

Olynyk could provide veteran depth — along with 48 games worth of post-season experience — to a handful of teams, like the Mavericks, who shipped away Maxi Kleber and are missing an injured Lively. But holding onto that salary for a 33-year-old averaging a career-low 15.3 minutes a night feels like a steep price to pay. While we learned nothing is impossible after this past weekend, Ujiri would have to work some magic to get more than inconsequential value.

• The Toronto-born big man is the last of the Raptor’s movable veterans but not the final expiring asset they have. Davion Mitchell is in the final year of his rookie deal before entering restricted free agency this summer. He’s admirably stepped in and out of the starting lineup throughout Immanuel Quickley’s absences while fixing Toronto’s moribund defence as best he can. Mitchell has the second-best defensive on/off of any Raptor this year, behind only Barnes. In the eight games he started in place of Quickley throughout January, the Raptors’ defence ranked first in the league. Plenty of reasons to keep him, but also plenty of value to use on the open market.

• Another name to at least consider is third-year wing Ochai Agbaji. After a less-than-ideal start to his Raptors tenure last year post-deadline, the former lottery pick has done an about-face. Agbaji is averaging 10.3 points this year while shooting a career-high 40.1 per cent from distance. At age 24, his fit next to Barnes makes too much sense for a move to be likely. But, since he’s cost-controlled — making $4.3 million this year and $6.4 million next year (both as team options) — before restricted free agency in 2026-27, he’s also the perfect piece to use in a deal for a significant piece. If the Raptors are going to move one of their players 25 or younger (selling a suitor on future upside), Agbaji would be the likeliest candidate.

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