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Raptors fans upset, confused after quiet NBA trade deadline

The Raptors were at the centre of the rumour mill for weeks, but ultimately ended up keeping their best assets.

It was a whirlwind NBA trade deadline but the Toronto Raptors were relatively inactive and the majority of fans weren't pleased.

Toronto acquired Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday in exchange for Khem Birch, a 2024 first-round pick (top-six protected), along with 2023 and 2025 second-round picks. It wasn’t a completely inactive deadline as Poeltl is back for his second stint with the Raptors, but it was far from the franchise-altering splash many were hoping for.

The Raptors curiously didn't trade any major pieces at Thursday's deadline. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Raptors curiously didn't trade any major pieces at Thursday's deadline. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

The Raptors were at the centre of the hot stove for weeks and were in position to make a number of impact moves. Fred VanVleet, O.G. Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr. and even Pascal Siakam all appeared in the rumour mill but ended up staying put.

With a record of 26-30, Toronto currently sits 10th in the Eastern Conference but is only 4.5 games back of sixth place for the final playoff spot. As it stands right now, the Raptors would be involved in the play-in tournament.

Here’s how Raptors fans and media personalities felt after the deadline passed.

It’s not all negative, but the majority of fans and media personalities clearly wanted the Raptors to take some sort of direction, whether it was to increase their slim odds of receiving the first-overall pick this summer to select generational centre Victor Wembanyama, or improve the roster meaningfully for a prolonged playoff run.

How are you feeling about how Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. approached the deadline? Are you satisfied?

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