"The answer is that they need to add a true co-star alongside Scottie Barnes, and they need to get out from under the contract of Jakob Poeltl. Could they accomplish both goals with a single trade? It certainly won't be easier, but that doesn't mean it's not possible. It would take a dream trade scenario shaking loose amidst the chaos of this week's trade deadline."
"The first step is identifying a player to target. If the Raptors are looking for a talented offensive engine while trading back at least one bad contract in Jakob Poeltl, they are probably shopping for a player who is having a down year of some sort, either due to play or availability. They also need to get a replacement center for Poeltl who can anchor the defense and be an upgrade on Poeltl offensively."
"Enter the Raptors. Because Cleveland is above the second luxury tax apron, they cannot aggregate player salaries together - in other words, they cannot trade multiple players, but each has to match salaries themselves. Jarrett Allen, for example, makes $20 million, so he has to be traded for one or more players whose salary adds up to less than $20 million."
Toronto needs to add a true co-star alongside Scottie Barnes and clear Jakob Poeltl's contract to move from good to great. A single trade could accomplish both goals but would require a rare, chaotic trade-deadline scenario. The Raptors are likely to target a talented offensive engine whose value is depressed this season due to performance or availability. They must also acquire a center who can anchor the defense and outscore Poeltl. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been disappointing and may be willing to break up their core. Cleveland's second-apron tax status restricts multi-player salary aggregation, complicating trades. A deal centered on Jarrett Allen would require precise salary matching but could align with both teams' objectives.
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