Well, this news certainly comes as a bit of a shocker. I'd be lying if I told you I had any inclination to believe that the all-time great, Chris Paul, would end up a member of the Toronto Raptors. The latest from Shams Charania reports that Paul is being sent to Toronto in a three-team deal, sending Ochai Agbaji's expiring deal to the Nets, along with a 2032 second-round pick and cash considerations.
However, I hate the burst the bubble of any excited Raptors fans waiting to see the legend CP3 donning the chevron jerseys, but that seem to be the case. As per Shams, the Raptors don't expect Paul to report to the team and could continue to shop for suitors to take him on over the next day. If not, expect Paul to be like PJ Tucker last trade deadline, when the Raptors eventually bought him out.
And with that, the longstanding trade rumors surrounding Ochai Agbaji has come to an end. He ends up in Brooklyn, which is exactly where I assumed he'd end up, however, it doesn't result in the Raptors acquiring the asset I had in mind. For a while now, Agbaji's mid-tier $6.3 million contract has been one of Toronto's only appealing assets to trade on the market, in comparison to their long-term, expensive deals for guys like Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl.
We've all heard the rumblings about rival teams not being interested in taking on either salary, but Agbaji was one of Toronto's few options to find a potential upgrade. Whether a guy like Goga Bitadze, Nick Richards, Day'Ron Sharpe — Ochai Agbaji gave them a clear path to get there, along with whatever second-round picks they wanted to attach. The trade was completed, with both those assets involved, but Toronto just ends up completing a cost cutting measure that helps them duck the tax and cuts a guy from their current rotation.
Raptors' path to making significant roster upgrade just got tougher after latest trade
The glaring need for frontcourt depth is still a concern that Toronto needs to somehow address, whether before tomorrow's trade deadline or through the buyout market. Now, things have just gotten a lot tighter on the Raptors' side of things, as they'll need to figure out how to add big man support by using RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, and perhaps Gradey Dick. And I just wrote how the Domantas Sabonis trade talks have hit a stalemate after Toronto expressed disinterest in adding valuable first-round draft capital to dump Poeltl's hefty salary to a third team (with Memphis being the rumored suitor).
I think, more than ever, it seems the Raptors are leaning toward standing pat. From a draft asset perspective, that’s a relief. However, if they want to be in the playoff mix come April, is it really the most logical choice to watch everyone else make moves while they do nothing? Heck, even teams like Charlotte and Washington are going out there to try and make a splash in their own right — I mean, Anthony Davis to the Wizards, like who would've saw that coming?
I'm glad Toronto is being careful not to make a move just for the sake of it and is trying to protect their draft capital. We've seen how them acting too hastily has come back to bite them where it hurts most. But the clock is ticking, and after losing the Ochai Agbaji match money for a mid-tier center, I predict it will be a struggle to find a clear path forward unless they’re willing to part with a pick or two for a center target like Daniel Gafford.