Toronto moves to younger backcourt, bigger frontcourt
Masai Ujiri has made several moves on trade deadline day in the NBA. While the deals weren’t as splashy as the trades of OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, they are noteworthy, so let’s explore. First, the Raptors moved Otto Porter, Kira Lewis and a 2024 first-round draft pick to Utah. In exchange, Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji join our squad.
This deal gets a standing ovation from me. Porter, one of the greybeards I’ve been whining about all season, has had no impact whatsoever, and Lewis, acquired in the Siakam trade from Indiana, played two minutes in the loss to the Clippers. The draft pick is likely to be in the late twenties, so the other guys are welcome to it. Meantime, Olynyk returns to his hometown, and to a team which can definitely take advantage of his skills. He’s lasted 10 seasons in the NBA with a modest yet useful toolkit as a stretch-4 or -5. The most similar Raptor is Jontay Porter, currently sidelined with back spasms. Kelly can contribute immediately, particularly from beyond the arc, and will likely become (due to the downgrading of Chris Boucher to garbageman) the first big man off the bench. Olynyk is not a clone of Jakob Poeltl, because he’s not a force on the boards. Hopefully he can at a minimum box out his man and let the youngsters crash the glass. Kelly can also put the ball on the floor and create his own shot, so he’s not Steve (I hope they pass me the ball) Novak.
Agbaji is barely known to me. Whether he’ll receive minutes on a suddenly more fluid roster remains to be seen. In sum, the Raptors have given up virtually nothing, to receive something. The downside is almost nil. Agbaji’s contract for the next two seasons is a ‘team option’ one, while Olynyk’s is done. The Raptors will retain his Bird rights, and I can see bringing him back on a team-friendly deal over the summer.
Goodbye veterans – hello, salary cap relief
The other trade is perhaps the most blatant salary dump transaction I’ve ever seen the Raptors make. Thaddeus Young and Dennis Schroder are on their way to the Brooklyn Nets, while Spencer Dinwiddie moves north. Or does he? Subsequent reports say the veteran swingman will be waived by the Raptors. Whether he is or not is of little import [Update: Dinwiddie was indeed waived, and is likely to be signed by the Lakers]; this season is a lost cause, so it’s not like a backup 2/3 man would guarantee a playoff spot. What does matter is that there’s suddenly $ 12+ million available (i.e., Schroder’s salary in 2024-25) this summer for raises.
All of a sudden the only greybeard remaining is Garrett (coach in waiting) Temple. The Raptors are younger, and out from under a restrictive salary cap situation. Their biggest paycheque is being written to RJ Barrett, who’s on the books for $25 million next year. When you consider that other teams are spending far more money on aged players not even on the court, like Gordon Hayward and Kyle Lowry, the Raptors are in decent shape.
Of course, that won’t be the case for long. The brains trust will need to figure out what they want to do with Bruce Brown, who’s on a team option for next year. I can see Masai picking up the deal, then immediately moving him, particularly if Agbaji, who’s far cheaper, shows signs of life.
However, the 800-pound gorilla in the living room is Scottie Barnes’s next contract. But let’s leave that discussion for another time. Today, I’m happy.
- Tags: Masai Ujiri, Toronto Raptors
