Report: Raptors interested in several big men as trade deadline approaches

The Toronto Raptors are pursuing a big man ahead of the upcoming NBA trade deadline, and it sounds like they have plenty of players on their radar.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype noted that the Raptors are casting a wide net when it comes to acquiring a big man who’s capable of helping them out.

“The Raptors have searched for a center on the market and expressed interest in trading for several centers, including Jakob Poeltl, Myles Turner, Robert Williams, Nicolas Claxton and Jusuf Nurkic,” wrote Scotto.

In addition to that group of players, the Raptors have also looked into the possibility of trading for veteran Danilo Gallinari.

“The Toronto Raptors have also expressed interest in trading for Atlanta Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari, HoopsHype has learned,” wrote Scotto. “Toronto is one of a handful of teams who’ve inquired about Gallinari.”

The 26-year-old Poeltl currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs and was originally drafted by the Raptors as the No. 9 overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft. A reunion between Poeltl and the Raptors would make for a nice story.

This season, Poeltl is putting up career-high numbers, averaging 13.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

In the case of the 25-year-old Turner, he’d be a flashy addition for Toronto, but it remains to be seen if the Raptors are willing to meet the Indiana Pacers’ asking price.

Turner is in his seventh season with the Pacers. This season, he is averaging 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and a league-high 2.8 blocks per game. The former first-round pick is a very valuable rim protector.

There are clearly a lot of options on the table for Toronto, and it’ll be interesting to monitor whether or not the team decides to make a deal before the deadline comes and goes.

The Raptors currently have a 28-23 record and are looking to bolster their roster for a potential playoff run.