'I believe in these guys': 3 things Raptors boss Masai Ujiri said after a quieter than expected trade deadline
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Many people expected the Toronto Raptors to be one of the most active teams in the lead up to the NBA’s trade deadline on Thursday afternoon, but aside from one minor deal to acquire a former Raptor, they stood pat.
Many people expected the Toronto Raptors to be one of the most active teams in the lead up to the NBA’s trade deadline on Thursday afternoon, but aside from one minor deal to acquire a former Raptor, they stood pat.
Early on Thursday, hours before the 3 p.m. deadline, the Raptors finalized a deal with the San Antonio Spurs that brought Jakob Poeltl back to Toronto in exchange for Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first-round pick, and two future second-round picks.
Poeltl spent the first two seasons of his NBA career with the Raptors after Toronto drafted him ninth overall in 2016.
He was traded with all-star swingman DeMar DeRozan and a protected 2019 first-round draft pick to the Spurs in the summer of 2018 for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
Birch, meanwhile, had fallen out of Raptors head coach Nick Nurse’s rotation, averaging just 2.2 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 0.3 blocks in 8.1 minutes per game over 20 games this season.
Poeltl is no doubt the upgrade at the centre position the Raptors have been looking for since the departures of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, but it’s a far cry from the major shakeup most Raptors fans were expecting.
Here is what Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri told reporters about his deadline strategy during a Thursday afternoon press conference.
