So i’ve been busy working on a video dissecting everything that went wrong with the 2023 Raptors and one of the recurring bits is this year being the culmination of the roster’s construction via a combination of talent drain and poor signings. This is probably most notable with the center position where they went from the aging but still productive (I know Ibaka’s back injury has robbed his late career from him but he was good for the Clippers pre-injury) Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol, leading to the signing of Aron Baynes and a gaping hole in the center position.
There was certainly an attempt made from 2021 to 2023 but ultimately they left that hole wide open for far too many seasons. But there were attempts made and here they are, semi-chronologically:
Evan Mobley in 2021 (offseason): [https://www.raptorshq.com/2021/7/22/22588791/nba-draft-report-toronto-raptors-interest-evan-mobley](https://www.raptorshq.com/2021/7/22/22588791/nba-draft-report-toronto-raptors-interest-evan-mobley)
Jarrett Allen in 2021 (midseason\*/offseason): [https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-threat-jarrett-allen-cleveland-cavaliers-free-agency](https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-threat-jarrett-allen-cleveland-cavaliers-free-agency)
Richaun Holmes in 2021 (offseason): [https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-reportedly-interested-in-sacramento-kings-richaun-holmes](https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-reportedly-interested-in-sacramento-kings-richaun-holmes)
Jakob Poeltl in 2022 (midseason): [https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10025903-bulls-trade-rumors-jakob-poeltl-eyed-spurs-want-1st-round-pick-good-player](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10025903-bulls-trade-rumors-jakob-poeltl-eyed-spurs-want-1st-round-pick-good-player)
Myles Turner/Robert Williams III/Jusuf Nurkic in 2022 (midseason): [https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10025968-raptors-trade-rumors-myles-turner-jakob-poeltl-danilo-gallinari-eyed-by-toronto](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10025968-raptors-trade-rumors-myles-turner-jakob-poeltl-danilo-gallinari-eyed-by-toronto)
Nerlens Noel in 2022 (midseason): [https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1491675997204361216](https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1491675997204361216)
Tingus Pingus of House Pingus in 2022 (midseason): [https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-discussed-trade-dallas-mavericks-kristaps-porzingis](https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-discussed-trade-dallas-mavericks-kristaps-porzingis)
Nic Claxton in 2022 (midseason): [https://raptorsrapture.com/2022/02/18/raptors-nicolas-claxton-trade-nets/](https://raptorsrapture.com/2022/02/18/raptors-nicolas-claxton-trade-nets/) \- Thanks u/hyplusone
Rudy Gobert in 2022 (offseason): [https://twitter.com/kylecohenNBA/status/1524805610214154241](https://twitter.com/kylecohenNBA/status/1524805610214154241)
Deandre Ayton in 2022 (offseason): [https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10063934-deandre-ayton-rumors-raptors-almost-acquired-star-in-sign-and-trade-last-offseason](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10063934-deandre-ayton-rumors-raptors-almost-acquired-star-in-sign-and-trade-last-offseason)
If i’ve forgotten any other names or rumors then by all means feel free to correct me but these are the ones I could recall.
The Jarrett Allen one is most notable because I recall a rumor that the Raptors were offered Jarrett Allen for a 2022 1st as part of the James Harden trade but declined, and then they failed to sign him in the offseason though his RFA status meant the Cavaliers could have matched any offer made. I can’t find an article about the former so **take this rumor in particular with a grain of salt**. Obviously, that offseason involved the signing of Khem Birch and we know what happened to him as a result of an injury, unfortunately.
Also worth noting is that Poeltl was available in 2022 but that the Raptors instead chose to pursue a trade for Thad Young. Granted, matching Dragic’s contract with Poeltl’s salary would have been tricky so even a hypothetical Jakob 2022 trade package would have to include a first and 2 seconds, probably Dalano Banton as well if the 2023 rumors about them being interested in Banton were true.
We can debate on how the Raptors would have looked with any one of these centers in 2021-2023 but one thing is for certain: This hole should have been filled way before the 2023 deadline.
3 comments
There was talk of Nic Claxton going back to 2022 when he would have been a nice buy low candidate (from Lowe via RR https://raptorsrapture.com/2022/02/18/raptors-nicolas-claxton-trade-nets/)
We ultimately used our 2022 first for Thad.
By the time his name resurfaced earlier this year, the price had gone up dramatically (https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-raptors-insistent-on-acquiring-nic-claxton-in-any-trade-with-brooklyn-nets-1.1916545)
whether we rebuild or not, what I do know is that we need to somehow find a way to get Naz Reid on this team, a mobile big that can stretch the floor for Scottie is huge, also would fit our defensive plans prolly
People say we should have done the Yak trade even if we are tearing it down, but there is arguments to be made that he is not the greatest fit next to Siakam and/or Barnes given that all 3 operate in the same space offensively.
Siakam’s performance dropped after we acquires Yak and Scottie had to play SG/SF on perimeter.
If the FO wanted to give these players a shot they should have gotten a stretch big at least.
At the time of the Yak trade my prediction was that it would improve us against bottom teams and wouldn’t make a difference against top teams which is exactly how it went.