The Raptors came awfully close to a move that could have changed everything - and not in the good way.
Toronto had a deal lined up at the 2026 NBA trade deadline that would have sent RJ Barrett to the Sacramento Kings for Domantas Sabonis, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN. But Sacramento backed off after taking a harder look at Jakob Poeltl’s hefty contract, and that decision may have kept the Raptors from boxing themselves out of their own title window.
That’s the strange twist here: Poeltl, the player Toronto has been trying to move and the one whose contract has been described as an albatross, may have ended up helping save the Raptors from themselves. If the Sabonis deal had gone through, Toronto would have had a much tougher path to landing Kawhi Leonard once that trade becomes official. It also would have made things messier for No. 9 pick Collin Murray-Boyles, who would have been staring at an even more crowded frontcourt rotation.
Sabonis would have brought obvious offensive punch. He remains a strong post scorer, and in Darko Rajakovic’s free-flowing, pass-heavy system, he would have fit the style.
But the problems would have come fast on the other end. His defense is a major issue, and he wouldn’t have solved Toronto’s concerns with 3-point shooting or half-court creation.
Toronto’s bigger roster picture also played into the decision-making. It became clear that Barrett and Brandon Ingram were both quality players, but the front office couldn’t realistically keep both long-term.
Barrett, the Canadian who delivered a strong postseason stretch while Ingram was hurt and struggling, emerged as the preferred piece. Ingram was moved, and the return brought Leonard back to Canada.
Poeltl still looks like the likely starting center to open the season, thanks to the 7-1 Austrian’s size advantage over the 6-7 Murray-Boyles. Even so, Toronto is still working every angle to get off the contract. After already parting with multiple first-round picks to acquire Leonard in principle, the Raptors may have to include even more draft capital if they want another team to absorb Poeltl’s salary.
For all the frustration around the contract, the Raptors probably came out ahead by standing pat. Having Leonard and Poeltl on the roster beats the alternative of ending up with Sabonis and none of Leonard, Poeltl, or Barrett. In the end, the smartest move Bobby Webster may have made in the last 12 months was not making a Poeltl-Barrett deal at all.
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