The trade deadline is like the time my uncle tried to fix his own roof. There was a lot of talking, several ladders involved, and eventually everyone just stood in the driveway looking up at a problem that wasn't going away. Right now, that problem involves Domantas Sabonis and a very complicated map of the NBA.
The Raptors and the Kings have been talking about a deal that would bring Sabonis to Toronto. It involves sending RJ Barrett and Ochai Agbaji to Sacramento, which is a lot of basketball players to move at once. Michael Grange is reporting that these talks have hit a bit of a pause, mostly because of the Jakob Poeltl situation.
The Jakob Problem
Jakob Poeltl has what the experts are calling a wonky back. He has had the MRIs and the tests, and the results are always the same. There is no nerve pressure, but the back just does not want to cooperate. It is a frustrating situation because you can have all the best medical care in the world, but sometimes biology just decides to stop helping.
Because of this, Poeltl has become very difficult to move. The Raptors are trying to find a third team to take him so they can finish the Sabonis trade, but nobody is jumping at the chance. Memphis was mentioned as a possibility, but they have shown zero interest in helping out. It is like asking your neighbor for a jumper cable and they just close their garage door while you are still talking.
Looking for Stars In Other Places
While the Sabonis talks are simmering in a crockpot, other rumors are starting to boil. Tim MacMahon says the Raptors are also active in trade talks for Anthony Davis. This feels like a very large swing. Anthony Davis in Toronto would be interesting, though I am not sure if his presence would fix the general sense of confusion that currently surrounds the roster.
Toronto is rightfully hesitant about giving up too many first round picks just to get off Poeltl's contract. You do not want to pay a premium just to fix a mistake you made a few seasons ago. It is like paying a locksmith to let you into your own house and then realizing you left the stove on anyway.
The Path Forward
The Kings still believe Toronto and Washington are the main teams for Sabonis. Being in a recruitment race with the Wizards is a specific kind of feeling. It is not necessarily a bad feeling, but it is certainly a feeling.
The front office is trying to figure out how to make this team interesting again. We have Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, and we are trying to find pieces that fit around them like a jigsaw puzzle with several missing corners. Maybe Sabonis is the answer, or maybe we are just destined to talk about back MRIs until the snow melts. Only time, and perhaps a very brave third team, will tell.