The Toronto Raptors still have a clear problem to solve up front, and the Dallas Mavericks may have the kind of roster jam that could help them do it.
Even after the Kawhi Leonard trade madness, Toronto is still looking for more center depth. Jakob Poeltl remains the most established size option on the roster, even with questions around his recent play and growing noise about Collin Murray-Boyles moving ahead of him in the pecking order.
The Raptors also made a small move by bringing in Trey Jemison III on a two-way deal, but that hardly changes the bigger picture. It is a low-risk addition, not the kind of move that lifts the ceiling.
If Toronto wants a more meaningful fix, Dallas is worth a look. The connection runs through Masai Ujiri, now with the Mavericks, where he joined the organization three months ago.
Dallas is also preparing for a new era under head coach Dusty May, with the franchise aiming to build around Cooper Flagg. That setup has a familiar feel for Raptors fans who watched Ujiri help shape Toronto’s rise.
The problem in Dallas is straightforward: there are bodies everywhere. NBA insider Marc Stein laid it out in a recent edition of The Stein Line, pointing to a crowded group of swingmen and a frontcourt that may not have enough minutes to go around.
Stein noted on August 3 (subscription-required link here): " Flagg. Risacher.
Marshall. Washington.
Max Christie (who also became extension-eligible this summer). Thompson.
Tarik Biberović. Caleb Martin.
Those are the eight swingmen currently on Dallas' roster.
Even if Thompson ultimately moves on this offseason, either via trade or buyout, that's quite a logjam for first-year coach Dusty May, who also has five big men to find minutes for: Gafford, Dereck Lively II, Moussa Cissé, recently acquired Santi Aldama and first-round pick Morez Johnson Jr. from May's national champion Michigan Wolverines."
That sort of congestion is exactly where Toronto could try to strike. The cleanest fit, at least on paper, is Daniel Gafford. He looks like the odd man out, and he would give the Raptors the kind of frontcourt presence they are still missing.
The obstacle is money. Gafford has three years left on his contract, and his expected 2026-27 salary is $17.3 million.
Toronto would have to make that fit, and the comparable salary on its side is Jakob Poeltl. But moving Poeltl does not solve Dallas’ frontcourt crowding, and the Mavericks probably would not be eager to take on the veteran center anyway.
One possible framework would send RJ Barrett, who is expiring, to Dallas for Gafford and Caleb Martin. It is not an eye-popping package at first glance, but Barrett’s long-term place in Toronto is still uncertain, which makes him a logical piece to discuss.
The Raptors could also press for draft picks or swaps to improve the value. From Dallas’ side, adding another wing would make sense.
There are other names that could make the deal even more interesting. Max Christie would be a strong target if Toronto could pry him loose.
Klay Thompson could also enter the conversation. Naji Marshall would have fit the idea well, but he already signed a new deal to stay in Dallas for the foreseeable future.
For now, everything depends on whether the Raptors-Masai connection becomes relevant again in trade talks and whether both sides can find a deal that clears the logjam in Dallas while helping Toronto address a problem that still needs a real answer.
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For the Raptors, the concern is not just finding the right fit, but avoiding a bidding environment where another contender can drive up the cost or pull a target away altogether. The broader conference picture only adds to the uncertainty, with the Sixers' offseason still a topic of discussion and their trade possibilities keeping more than one front office on alert, which means Toronto's search for center help may end up being as much about timing as talent. [Read more 🡒]
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