3 most impactful Toronto Raptors deals at the trade deadline

1. Marc Gasol brings home a ring

Looks like dumping Greg Monroe’s salary was not No. 1. Stunner. On the same day, Toronto realized that they needed a veteran interior defender with the passing acumen and experience needed to make Nick Nurse’s schemes on both sides of the floor work perfectly.

Gasol was traded in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, CJ Miles, and a 2024 second-round pick. While those three have gone on to solid individual careers after the  trade, especially Valanciunas, what Gasol brought to the team in his brief tenure can’t be replaced.

The Toronto Raptors leaned on Marc Gasol.

Gasol never put up jaw-dropping scoring stats with the Raptors, but they wouldn’t have had the success they did in 2019 without Gasol on the roster. A rock-solid defender and passer in the post, Gasol gave that interior some stability after years of getting beaten up in the postseason.

Marc appears to be on his way to starting his post-basketball life, as a brief stint with the Lakers could be his last NBA action. If this was indeed it, he left behind a solid gold legacy in both Memphis and Toronto thanks to his trade.