That kind of move, for one of the big names potentially on the block, isn’t particularly likely. Davis, as gifted as he may be, is too big an injury gamble. Morant, as explosive as he can be on the court, is too potentially combustible off it. Sabonis might be too big a defensive liability for the liking of Toronto’s defence-focused coaching staff.
Beyond those reasons, there is Webster’s stated philosophy of prioritizing roster flexibility until the moment is right.
“Until you feel like the team is locked in or that the team is becoming a contending team, I think you have to stay flexible,” Webster was telling NBA radio’s Sam Mitchell and Brian Geltzeiler on the weekend. “You want to keep all that maximum flexibility until I think you feel like you have a really good team, and then you can lock in. You can say, ‘This guy gets his contract. We’re going to trade three or four first-round picks for somebody.’ But I think that’s the fun of it.”
Do the Raptors consider themselves a contending team? Their 25-19 record heading into Tuesday ranked 11th in the league, within spitting distance of teams that consider themselves in the title race. And if you believe defence wins in the playoffs, they ranked fifth in defensive efficiency through Monday.
Not that there aren’t reasons to anticipate tougher times ahead. The Raptors face the second-hardest remaining schedule in the East, as measured by the combined .512 winning percentage of opponents heading into Tuesday. And for all their good defence, they ranked dead last in three-point shooting percentage and 22nd in offensive efficiency.
That speaks to their potential trade-deadline shopping list. For one, they could use more shooting. For another, they could use more size, especially with Poeltl in a continual battle with a bad back. The latter seems the most likely area of emphasis. The Raptors have needed more shooting for years, after all, and done little to address it.
“I think the depth in the front court is something we’ll look to address at the trade deadline,” Webster told NBA radio. “Whether it’s a backup third centre or if you can just upgrade, but those are all the things we’re looking at … You know, New York and Cleveland are big. I think you want to be able to match up with those teams, but you also want to stay true to your identity.”
In other words, don’t expect the Raptors to bow to the need for a traditional centre, a move they have largely resisted. In that same interview, Webster said the “silver lining” of Poeltl’s injury-related absences has been seeing the long-limbed likes of the six-foot-eight Barnes and six-foot-seven Collin Murray-Boyles show off their ability to match up with taller opponents and more than hold their own. If those kinds of assignments have been a showcase of versatility, it doesn’t mean they’re optimal for winning in the playoffs, which, given how this season has gone to date, has to be the organizational goal. To maximize Toronto’s chances of advancing, there are roster holes that need patching. How Webster approaches that job will help clarify the scope of Toronto’s competitive ceiling.
“We’re always going to be opportunistic, you know us,” Webster told NBA radio. “We’re going to be in the market. We’re going to be poking and prodding and seeing what’s available … The 12 years I’ve been in Toronto (the idea has been) to keep that flexibility. When there’s a chance to make a deal, make a deal.”
https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/the-raptors-could-be-no-1-in-the-east-with-the-right-moves-what-are/article_5448a258-0b1d-42cc-8759-0062241c6053.html?utm_sf_cserv_ref=20455865&utm_sf_post_ref=656394272
