Pass or Pursue on 3 centers the Toronto Raptors could trade for

The Toronto Raptors traded Jakob Poeltl to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2018 deal for Kawhi Leonard and sent Jonas Valanciunas to the Memphis Grizzlies for Marc Gasol a few months later in a move that helped propel them to the NBA Finals and bring a championship north of the border.

Since then, the Raptors have struggled to find an answer at center. There have been flashes, generally from aged veterans or out-of-position forwards, but they have never found a reliable, long-term player.

Rookie second-round pick Christian Koloko has been an immediate force at the rim, but his offensive game is still in the process of developing. If Toronto wants a quick fix in an attempt to salvage this season, a trade might need to be made.

The Raptors have a lot of different paths standing before them and could take any number of them by the NBA Trade Deadline, but the most likely is that they avoid any major moves and play the season out with this core. If so, they could look for a less expensive option on the trade market.

Pass or Pursue: 3 Toronto Raptors trade targets at center

3. Goga Bitadze, Indiana Pacers

The first such option is currently the victim of a deep frontcourt in Indiana. The team has rightly prioritized spacing at power forward, but with Myles Turner going from trade bait to extension candidate, that has relegated Isaiah Jackson and Bitadze to fighting for backup minutes behind him.

Jackson has won that battle for now, with Bitadze operating as the third center exclusively. That is why the Pacers are rumored to be shopping Bitadze, and the Raptors are a logical landing place for someone with his skillset.

The Toronto Raptors might be able to use Goga Bitadze.

Bitadze has never averaged more than 15 minutes per game, and the addition of Jalen Smith has further eaten into his opportunity. The Raptors are so starved for talent on the bench that the idea of rolling the dice on a somewhat mobile big that won’t cost much could appeal to them.

Bitadze would be a logical part of a trade package if the Pacers trade for OG Anunoby, or the Raptors could simply look to trade for Bitadze exclusively. The fourth-year center is an excellent offensive rebounder and should fit the Raptors’ scheme well, and he will be a restricted free agent this summer who may be inexpensive to re-sign.

Verdict: Pursue