The Toronto Raptors didn’t swing for the fences at the trade deadline, but they did make a move that could quietly pay off in the frontcourt. Late Wednesday night, the Raptors acquired Trayce Jackson-Davis from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick (via the Lakers). It’s not a blockbuster, but it’s a smart, low-risk addition that checks a few boxes for a team still trying to find its identity under head coach Darko Rajakovic.
Let’s be clear: Jackson-Davis isn’t a towering 7-footer who’s going to transform the paint overnight. At 6-foot-9, he’s undersized for a traditional center, especially on a Raptors roster where Jakob Poeltl remains the only player taller than 6-foot-10. But what Jackson-Davis lacks in height, he makes up for with defensive instincts, rebounding, and a knack for making the right pass-traits that fit snugly into Rajakovic’s system, which emphasizes ball movement and positional versatility.
As a rookie, Jackson-Davis showed real promise in limited minutes. He averaged 7.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1.2 assists in just 16.6 minutes per game-solid production for a second-round pick still finding his footing.
His sophomore season didn’t see the same upward trajectory, but he still managed to start 37 games and appear in 62 for the Warriors. This year, however, he fell out of Steve Kerr’s regular rotation, averaging just 11.4 minutes and starting only once in 36 appearances.
With Golden State opting to keep a shooter in Quenten Post as their extra big, Jackson-Davis became the odd man out.
Enter Toronto, a team that’s been desperate for frontcourt help but wasn’t willing to part with a first-round pick to get it. Jackson-Davis comes at a bargain-just a late second-rounder, likely in the 50s depending on where the Lakers finish the season.
That’s a low price to pay for a player who, even if he doesn’t develop further, can contribute right now. And with the Raptors managing to stay under the luxury tax threshold-thanks in part to an earlier deal that sent Ochai Agbaji to Brooklyn for a 2032 second-rounder-it’s a move that makes sense financially, too.
There’s also a bit of basketball lineage here. Jackson-Davis is the son of Dale Davis, the rugged former Indiana Pacers big man who once formed a formidable frontcourt with Antonio Davis-yes, the same Antonio Davis who later suited up for the Raptors. Trayce, like his father, brings a physical edge to his game, but with a modern twist-he’s a better passer and more mobile in space, which could make him a nice fit in Toronto’s evolving scheme.
He’s not a project in the traditional sense. Jackson-Davis turns 26 in a few weeks and played four full seasons at Indiana University after being named Indiana’s Mr.
Basketball in 2019. He’s mature, experienced, and has logged enough NBA minutes to understand the pace and physicality of the league.
The question now is whether Rajakovic and his staff-who’ve earned a reputation for player development-can help him take the next step. If they can, this could be a sneaky-good addition.
If not, he’s still a serviceable big on a team-friendly deal that runs through next season.
Toronto’s search for frontcourt stability has been a rough one. Promising young Cameroonian bigs Christian Koloko and Ulrich Chomche were both sidelined by serious medical issues, leading to their release.
Koloko has since found new opportunities with the Lakers and now the Hawks. Then there was Jontay Porter, who showed flashes of potential before being banned from the league following a betting scandal.
So now, the Raptors turn to Jackson-Davis, hoping he can bring some steadiness to a position that’s been anything but. He becomes just the second Indiana Hoosier to play for the franchise, joining OG Anunoby. And while that may not carry much weight on the court, it’s a fun footnote for a team whose early leadership-including former GMs Isiah Thomas and Glen Grunwald, and ex-head coach Butch Carter-also had roots in Bloomington.
This isn’t a splashy move, but it’s a calculated one. Jackson-Davis won’t solve all of Toronto’s problems, but he gives them a big man who can defend, rebound, and pass-all without costing them a core asset or future flexibility. In a season that’s been more about building than contending, that’s a win worth noting.