According to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, Nick Richards is one of the centers the Toronto Raptors have expressed interest in. Scotto added that the Raptors and Suns had "exploratory discussions" about a trade framework that would send Richards to Toronto in exchange for Ochai Agbaji and a second-round pick.
The Suns traded for Richards before the 2025 deadline, and he started 34 of the 36 games he played in to end the season, averaging 9.5 points and 8.6 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game. This season, his playing time has decreased significantly, as he is averaging only 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 9.4 minutes across 24 games (two starts).
Phoenix traded for Mark Williams over the summer, making him the new starter. Williams and second-year big man Oso Ighodaro are ahead of Richards on the depth chart.
Given Richards' contract situation — he's on a $5 million expiring deal — a trade is expected to happen before the Feb. 5 deadline.
Raptors had 'exploratory discussions' with Suns about Nick Richards
Earlier this week, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Toronto hopes to retain center Jakob Poeltl in any pre-deadline trade conversations.
Poeltl has been dealing with a nagging back issue, but his numbers are down this season, as he's averaging 10.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, after averaging 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last season. He also averaged 1.2 blocks per game last season, but that number has dipped to 0.6 this season.
Fischer added that although the Raptors don't want to lose Poeltl, they do want to make a frontcourt addition, and it could be Richards. In his last full season in Charlotte (2023-24), Richards averaged a career-high 9.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 26.3 minutes per game (51 starts in 67 contests), shooting 69.1% from the field.
The Raptors currently sit No. 3 in the East with a 16-11 record. They are one of several teams in the conference that are searching for ways to upgrade their roster to make a playoff run before Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton return for their respective teams next season (assuming Tatum misses the whole season).
Sandro Mamukelashvili has been a great addition for Toronto, but Richards, who is six-foot-eleven, would give the Raptors the size and rebounding that they need behind Poeltl. It wouldn't be a bad idea at all for the front office to bring Richards to Canada.