At this year's trade deadline, it seemed like the Toronto Raptors were ready to welcome a reunion with one of its former players, as defensive stopper P.J. Tucker was dealt in a transaction that sent gritty guard Davion Mitchell to the Miami Heat.
Tucker had been a member of the Toronto Raptors on two separate occasions, having been drafted by the franchise in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft before returning to the team for another stint in 2017.
Given that Tucker experienced drama with his last NBA team, the Los Angeles Clippers, by choosing to sit out at home instead of traveling with the team, it seemed highly unlikely that his demeanor would change in an even worse winning situation like that of the present-day Raptors.
Thus, Tucker's contract was seen as a way to temporarily fill a roster spot, since he would not report to Toronto after the deal was finalized.
Sportsnet's Blake Murphy reported on February 27 that Tucker would need to be bought out or waived before March 1 to remain playoff eligible with a contending NBA franchise. This is important if any team still sees value in the aging veteran who won a title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.
Raptors cut veteran PJ Tucker from the roster
Re: Tucker, he has to be bought out/waived by Saturday to be playoff eligible elsewhere.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) February 27, 2025
If not, Raps could still open a roster spot by waiving him but Tucker would have no incentive to leave $$ on the table.
Could then use his Bird rights for a human trade exception in summer. https://t.co/NKfLtqmBMl
I don’t know how much physical ability Tucker can still provide at age 39, but he’s got a wealth of NBA journeyman miles under his belt and can offer a title contender a much-needed veteran presence.
His NBA run could be nearing its end, and these next few weeks will determine if Tucker still has one last chance or if he'll need to hang up his basketball kicks and turn to his love for the sneakerhead game full-time.
On the flip side of things for the Toronto Raptors, they'll need to figure out what to do with this open roster spot, as their recent 10-day signing Jared Rhoden nears the end of that deal. Blake Murphy also reports that the Raptors have until a March 4 deadline to finalize their signing of two-way players if they intend to convert the surging Orlando Robinson to a standard NBA deal.
Somewhat related: March 4 is the deadline to sign 2-way players, so IF Raptors intend to convert Orlando Robinson to a standard deal at some point, it'd make sense to do it in the next few days so they could backfill the 2-way spot.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) February 28, 2025
This season may not have many winning prospects, but there is still a good chunk of time for the front office to explore smart roster moves that could prove beneficial when they ultimately aim to return to playoff prominence.
Knowing the Raptors, they might look to their 905 G League affiliate to see who could fit a roster spot, or they could explore the open market for players still available in free agency and swing for the fences.