Transactions. We love \u2018em, don\u2019t we?<\/p>\n
About half of the questions y\u2019all submitted in my mailbag call were devoted to potential trades. I get it: Who wants to live in the present when the future might be slightly different?<\/p>\n
Accordingly, I\u2019m devoting the second half of the mailbag to trade queries, even if we\u2019re still more than six weeks away from the Feb. 5 trade deadline. A few reminders.<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Raptors are about $1 million over the luxury-tax threshold, and I think getting below that threshold will be their top priority, barring a trade for a star.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Most trades require \u201cmatching\u201d salary in return, although what is necessary depends on each team\u2019s financial situation.<\/a> The Raptors are currently below the first apron, which gives them a fair bit of flexibility in how much extra salary they could take on, although see the point above to explain why they will likely try to cut salary in the aggregate.<\/p>\n \u2022 Teams that are below the salary cap (only Brooklyn and Utah) can take players into their cap room without sending matching salary in return. Additionally, teams that have not used all of their midlevel exception ($14.1 million) can use it to acquire a player without outgoing matching salary, although they cannot exceed the first apron in total salary ($195.9 million) while doing so.<\/p>\n \u2022 The Raptors\u2019 top five salaries are all in excess of $19.5 million (Jakob Poeltl). The rest of their salaries are all below $6.4 million (Ochai Agbaji). Unless they are willing to trade a starter, it will be complicated to make anything more than a trade that shores up the back end of their rotation.<\/p>\n Got it? No? It\u2019s OK, that is mostly there to explain to people who suggested trades that were not CBA compliant why I didn\u2019t answer their questions. In the words of Radioactive Man, up and at them!<\/a><\/p>\n Questions have been edited for clarity and brevity.<\/p>\n Mailbag Part 1<\/a><\/p>\n What is the one realistic achievable goal or trade the Raps should aim for? Second round? A big man? \u2014 Anonymous<\/p>\n These are two largely unrelated questions, so I will tackle them separately.<\/p>\n 1. Start with a top-six finish in the regular season, and then go from there. If the Raptors win around 45 games, finish in the top six and push their opponent in the first round, I\u2019d consider that a successful year, while acknowledging that the long-term plan still needs refinement.<\/p>\n 2. When the Raptors traded for Brandon Ingram last February, Bobby Webster said they were still in the talent acquisition phase of their development. I agree with that, and practically speaking, I\u2019d be less concerned with fit than pure skill. A young big man to reliably back up (and maybe eventually replace) Poeltl would be great, but I wouldn\u2019t get hung up on need, precisely because I don\u2019t think this team is close to real contention. Overall talent is much more important.<\/p>\n What skill would make the most difference to the team if it were to acquire more of it, or upgrade what it has of it, and what trades would you consider to do so, if any at all. Off the top of my head, I worry about our rebounding, but I\u2019ve also heard clever people talk about our lack of driving, especially when RJ (Barrett) isn\u2019t playing. \u2014 Gregor M.<\/p>\n The flaws you mention are real ones. The Raptors can use rebounding, rim protection and more attackers.<\/p>\n I still can\u2019t look past the shooting. Since a hot start to the season, the Raptors have slumped, becoming a league-average 3-point shooting team \u2014 in percentage. They are 25th in 3-point makes per possession and 26th in attempts. The other good teams with low 3-point volume: the Rockets, Lakers, Magic and Pistons. All of them make up for that with many more trips to the free-throw line than the Raptors manage, which is where the driving you mentioned comes into play.<\/p>\n Ideally, the Raptors would add a good shooter with the ability to do a little bit more off the bounce than, say, Ja\u2019Kobe Walter. Would Philadelphia get off Quentin Grimes, considering he is going to be an unrestricted free agent and they have a max player and high lottery pick in the backcourt? At a lower level, can the Raptors pry Keon Ellis from the Kings, who seem uninterested in playing him? Charlotte\u2019s Collin Sexton probably makes too much money (nearly $19 million) for the Raptors to get, but he would provide some much-needed offence off the bench. The Celtics likely aren\u2019t trading Sam Hauser, who is having a down year, unless they can dump his contract while taking no money back, but he has a good enough track record that I\u2019d be interested.<\/p>\n A lot of the fanbase seems convinced that getting a true backup centre would help this group a lot. I think people overrate most backup centres (they\u2019re backups for a reason). Do you think a backup centre would make a big difference for this group, and, if so, is there anyone you think they should target? \u2014 Darrell C.<\/p>\n No single reserve makes that much of a difference. You definitely should not be trading a first-rounder for a role player unless you are very close to a championship. The Raptors could get away with using Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili as small-ball centres and get away with it.<\/p>\n Poeltl\u2019s health is the problem. Poeltl missed Thursday\u2019s game in Milwaukee after two off days (which followed the Raptors\u2019 six-day post-Cup hiatus), which was a big warning sign to me. It makes sense: Bad backs don\u2019t just, poof, turn into healthy backs. Darko Rajakovi\u0107 mentioned the possibility of Poeltl playing in both halves of a back-to-back set as the season goes on. That seems very far away, maybe even unrealistic, if that amount of time didn\u2019t help him mend.<\/p>\n With no true centres behind Poeltl, who is frequently unavailable, the Raptors are limited in how they can play stylistically. It also creates a problem on the defensive glass, which more teams are prioritizing. (The Raptors collect 72.8 percent of potential defensive rebounds with Poeltl on the floor and 66.9 percent when he\u2019s off.)<\/p>\n The biggest reason to trade for a backup centre would be to give Poeltl some sustained time in street clothes, assuming the medical staff thinks that could make a long-term difference. With that in mind, a backup centre would make a difference, if not the type that many think one would.<\/p>\n On the cheaper end of things, I am unreasonably high on Brooklyn\u2019s Day\u2019ron Sharpe as a potential innings eater. Plus, he has a $6.25 million team option for next year, which would be useful. The Mavericks\u2019 Daniel Gafford is good when healthy, but paying another centre an eight-figure salary into 2028-29 is unwise. Orlando\u2019s Goga Bitadze would also make sense. Plus, the Raptors could pair up the league\u2019s two Georgian players with that move.<\/p>\n If the Raptors decide to go shopping at the trade deadline, list the positions of need in order and (if possible) your ideal targets. \u2014 Justin T.<\/p>\n As you hopefully understand by now, I would value overall talent (preferably under contract beyond this season) more than any specific position. This team could use every type of player save for another small guard.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll also keep my targets to players making significantly less than $20 million, as anything else would require the Raptors trading a starter. The players are listed in no particular order.<\/p>\n 1. Smaller wing: Ellis, Grimes, Hauser, Corey Kispert, Ayo Dosunmu, Naji Marshall, Ben Sheppard For more possibilities, see Sam Vecenie\u2019s trade board.<\/a><\/p>\n Does it make sense to go all in with a huge trade? \u2014 Yossi R.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll direct you to my recent column about this<\/a>. Here is the shorter answer to your question: While the weaker Eastern Conference makes it intriguing, I don\u2019t think the Raptors have the depth of talent to support such a move and become a genuine contender.<\/p>\n Can the Raptors upgrade at centre with Poeltl\u2019s contract? Should they? Is this possible? \u2014 Rob H.<\/p>\n That\u2019s going to be hard to do because of how Poeltl\u2019s contract is viewed right now. It\u2019s too long and too expensive for most teams that would be looking to give up talent, so the Raptors would likely have to incentivize a team with a first-round pick or more to make a meaningful upgrade. I don\u2019t think I would kick in an extra first to get Myles Turner, on a long deal himself, for Poeltl, even if his shooting would help. I don\u2019t think Nic Claxton is an upgrade, although he is on a shorter deal. Ivica Zubac would be great, but the Clippers aren\u2019t going to take on a player with a longer contract.<\/p>\n In short, I don\u2019t think that type of deal exists, although never say never.<\/p>\n How many two-way, stretch fives are in the league, and how can the Raptors attain one? \u2014 Anonymous<\/p>\n
2. Big: Sharpe, Gafford, Bitadze, Marvin Bagley, Robert Williams, Jericho Sims, Brandon Clarke, Bobby Portis, Jalen Smith, Nick Richards
3: Forward: Georges Niang, Saddiq Bey, Guerschon Yabusele<\/p>\n