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MLSE gets a cash infusion, but the roster doesn't.
Published Feb 04, 2026 • 3 minute read
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We warned you a day ago that the Toronto Raptors probably wouldn’t do anything exciting at the NBA’s trade deadline. And while there’s still one day to go to know for sure, they’d been foreshadowing they’d probably only make one small move, and it came early. On Wednesday afternoon Toronto dealt away wing Ochai Agbaji and its 2032 second round draft pick in a three-team deal that sent Agbaji and the pick to the Brooklyn Nets, an obscure prospect who probably will never reach the NBA to the Los Angeles Clippers and Chris Paul to the Raptors, though only on paper (ESPN reported Paul would not be required to actually report). Los Angeles also surrendered some cash to Brooklyn.
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The deal saves Toronto about $4 million U.S., shifting the team under the NBA’s luxury tax. That means instead of having to pay a tax to teams under that tax number, ownership will now collect some money from all the teams that are over. The amount likely will be somewhere between $8-11 million, depending on how many other teams duck under the tax by Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline. Before a flurry of moves in recent days by teams to do just that, the estimated amount was about $14 million.
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Paul, who the Raptors should have traded up to draft back in 2005, is one of the best point guards ever, but was sent home from his second stint with the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this season and it’s unclear if he’ll play again. If he does, it won’t be with the Raptors. He joins greats like Alonzo Mourning, B.J. Armstrong and Kenny Anderson who were Raptors for a fleeting moment thanks to various deals, but never actually reported.
FLEXIBILITY TO ADD
Toronto now has an open roster spot and some flexibility ahead of the deadline or when the buyout market opens.
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This is an unfortunate result for Toronto. Agbaji was acquired, along with Canadian Kelly Olynyk from the Utah Jazz at the trade deadline two years ago. Toronto surrendered a first-round pick in the move thinking it didn’t want to wait on another youngster with a bunch already in the fold. Agbaji, who won an NCAA championship and was Final Four Most Outstanding Player while at Kansas blossomed last season, shooting 39.9% on three-pointers while playing some of the best defence on the team for head coach Darko Rajakovic. However, this year his shooting completely vanished (18.5% from three) and he fell out of the rotation. Agbaji, a free agent at the end of the season, was no longer in Toronto’s plans after looking like an interesting piece only one year earlier.
While other teams moved for big names like Anthony Davis, James Harden, Trae Young and others in recent weeks, Jakob Poeltl’s back situation hamstrung the Raptors from being able to make an impact move. That might frustrate portions of the fanbase hoping a team that has already taken a leap forward could enhance itself for a potential playoff run, but it’s a reality.
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There’s always a chance that changes Thursday, but it’s considered remote.
It was fascinating to see the Washington Wizards land Davis and Young for next to nothing though. Dallas was never going to be able to undo the worst deal in NBA history, giving away Luka Doncic for the constantly-injured Davis, one draft pick and one good reserve guard, but two first-round picks, neither with any chance of being in the lottery, and three second rounders (plus salary filler) is nothing short of brutal.
The Wizards have never been relevant and might have the least-interested fanbase in the NBA, so they don’t have much to lose in hoping Davis and Young can get healthy next season and complement Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, two strong prospects, plus a potential lottery pick this year (if they finish in the Top 8).
The Raptors remain what they are — a playoff team that hasn’t yet shown it can hang with the NBA’s best and doesn’t appear to have any help on the way, barring a miraculous return to health by Poeltl.
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