The Raptors just embarked on a pretty wild week.
Any winning week is a positive, and the Raptors did just that with a 2-1 record from February 1 to 5. Still, that stretch will be remembered more for the NBA trade deadline than for the games themselves.
Toronto was not one of the league’s major move-makers, but they did make two potentially impactful trades. So how should Raptors fans feel about that recent three-game stretch and subsequent deadline moves?
Raptors chose a patient approach at the deadline
Many Raptors fans were underwhelmed at the end of this year’s deadline. There was no major move like the Jakob Poeltl acquisition in 2023 or the Brandon Ingram trade last season. Instead, Toronto made a salary dump involving Ochai Agbaji and added Trayce Jackson-Davis, a center whose role had nearly disappeared in the Warriors’ rotation.
Despite the small moves, I think Raptors fans should feel good about this year’s deadline. The team addressed a clear need at backup center while keeping all of its major assets intact. Eventually, Toronto will have to cash in those assets to make a significant change to the roster, but a move of that magnitude at this stage would have been premature.
A concerning trend continued
Last Fulcrum, I wrote about Toronto blowing two second-half leads. That trend continued this week in their loss to Minnesota. The Raptors led by as many as 18 points in the second half, but an Anthony Edwards onslaught fueled a Timberwolves comeback and a two-point loss.
It was the third time in four games that Toronto blew a double-digit second-half lead. Hopefully, that trend is a blip on the radar, but the fact that the Raptors are tied for last in the league in fourth-quarter scoring does not inspire much confidence.
All eyes on the Trayce Jackson-Davis
It is not often that a team’s backup center becomes a focal point, but when that player is the only addition made at the trade deadline, attention naturally follows. If Jackson-Davis can help improve the Raptors' 21st ranked rebounding and provide physical defense against opposing bigs, this addition should be considered a success.
It is unlikely that head coach Darko Rajaković will ask too much of Jackson-Davis, but there will be nights when he is relied upon for a critical 15 minutes. How those minutes go will likely serve as the barometer for whether Jackson-Davis is viewed as a positive addition, or fuel for fans who believe the Raptors should have aimed higher at the deadline.
Raptors prepare for the All-Star break
Toronto has just two games remaining before the All-Star break, both at home against the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, teams at opposite ends of the Eastern Conference standings.
The week-long break marks the final interruption of the season before the playoff push begins. The Raptors should use the time off to rest, reset, and prepare for a stretch that will begin to provide real answers about this core and its young players.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Since the time of writing, Raptors successfully defeated the Indiana Pacers, 122-104, on February 8.