The Toronto Raptors have been linked to just about every player who could be available before the deadline, headlined by Anthony Davis. It seems like fans can officially scratch him off the list (subscription required), as Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that the Raptors "have been signaling that they are no longer involved in significant trade talks with the Mavericks."
Fischer said that the Hawks, the other top team interested in Davis, are also in the same position as the Raptors. He specifically wrote that interest in AD "seemed to cool" after Dallas announced that the big man would miss at least six weeks with a hand injury. ESPN's Shams Charania made it sound like teams were still interested in trading for the big man, even with the injury.
Toronto made the right call to remove itself from the AD race, which is nonexistent now that he is hurt, as it'd be enough of a risk to trade for him if he were healthy. He's played in only 29 games since the Mavericks traded for him last season.
The idea of Davis joining the Raptors sounds good, but only if you overlook his injury history and the looming contract extension that he will be eligible to sign this summer. Who cares about that, right? That's actually the pitch that Rich Paul, AD's agent, is preparing right now.
Raptors no longer involved in 'significant' talks for Anthony Davis
If AD were healthy, Toronto might not have pulled out of talks, as Dallas could've tried to get far more than the 32-year-old is worth. The Mavericks will never be able to recoup the value they lost when they sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers for Davis, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't have tried. It's hard to boost the value of a player who struggles to stay on the floor, though.
So, what will the Raptors do if they don't make a big swing, assuming their current stance on AD won't change over the next two weeks? They could pivot their attention to Domantas Sabonis, another center they've expressed interest in. That would be on par with the kind of move they're trying to make before the deadline, but like with Davis, there are concerns about adding Sabonis.
Although Toronto has been active in trying to upgrade the roster in hopes of making a playoff run, the deadline could pass without the front office making a major move, which, in this case, wouldn't be a bad thing. A player by the name of Giannis Antetokounmpo could be available over the summer, anyway.