The Toronto Raptors are heading into next season with Jakob Poeltl penciled in as the starting center again, but that doesn’t have to be the ending, either for his role or his place on the roster. If the Chicago Bulls decide to make Nic Claxton available, Toronto may have the opening it needs.
Poeltl has long looked like the least dynamic piece in the Raptors’ starting five, and the long-term extension attached to him only sharpens the issue. With a projected group that includes Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Kawhi Leonard, Toronto’s center spot needs someone who can finish possessions and defend the rim at a high level.
Right now, Poeltl is drifting farther from that description. Claxton, on the other hand, fits it.
Chicago’s new management already made an interesting move by landing Claxton in a four-team trade that cost them only former Raptor Mouhamadou Gueye. For a team that needed help at center, the price made the move easy to justify.
Claxton is 27, but he still doesn’t look like the Bulls’ long-term answer in the middle. If Toronto were willing to attach draft capital, Chicago would likely listen on a Poeltl-for-Claxton swap.
That possibility becomes even more intriguing because of the way Bulls new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham framed the team’s direction. He made it clear Chicago won’t be back on top overnight and that patience will be required to build something real.
That reads like a team that could be open to moving veterans during the season or at the deadline in exchange for more assets. It also suggests Chicago may not mind taking on longer-term money, since it isn’t operating in the same win-now lane as Toronto. That makes the Bulls a logical trade partner if the Raptors decide they want to upgrade the center spot during the season.
For Toronto, Claxton would check a lot of boxes. He costs more than Poeltl this season, but his deal runs only one more year after 2026-27. That stands in sharp contrast to the $84-plus million Poeltl is owed from 2027-30, and that difference could matter a lot for the Raptors’ flexibility going forward.
The basketball fit is just as strong. Claxton gives you a legitimate lob threat, real value in the pick-and-roll, and enough passing touch to function as a hub, as shown by his 3.7 assists per game last season. He also brings offensive rebounding and the kind of nonstop activity that can extend possessions and create extra chances.
On the other end, he would give Toronto exactly the kind of athletic rim protection the team has been missing at center. But he’s not just a shot blocker.
His mobility and length make him a credible defender on the perimeter, too, which means he can handle wings and even some guards. That kind of versatility would open the door for fully switchable defensive lineups, something Toronto hasn’t really had in recent years.
If Chicago starts moving veterans to collect more draft capital next season, Toronto should be on the phone about Nic Claxton.
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Raptors Just Got A Huge Break From One Trade Miss
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Toronto ended up taking Collin Murray-Boyles, and the early returns have been encouraging enough to make the miss feel like a break rather than a setback. Murray-Boyles turned in a strong rookie season and is already being discussed as a potential long-term piece, while White had a down year by his standards and shot a career-low field goal percentage. [Read more 🡒]
Raptors Face One Big Kyrie Irving Question Before Any Big Swing
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Irving also comes with real uncertainty after a major injury, which makes the timing even trickier for a team that is still sorting out its identity. If the Raptors do emerge as a true contender later in the season, then the trade market can look a lot different, but for now the safer move is patience while the front office evaluates where this core actually stands. [Read more 🡒]