"The trade ended up as a three-team round robin deal, with Agbaji and a 2032 Raptors second-round pick -- and some cash -- going to the Brooklyn Nets. The Raptors took on Chris Paul's minimum contract and are expected not to retain him, and saved $7 million in tax money and getting them out of the luxury tax entirely. Agbaji is a solid 3-and-D wing; he was a rotation player for a competitive Raptors team and at the nadir of his value."
"His shot abandoned him this year, but he hit 39.9 percent of his 3-point attempts last season, and was shooting 86.2 percent on free-throws this season. A bounce back was very possible. Rather than keep him and ride the wave back up, the Raptors dumped him on the Nets. There likely would have been a competitive team interested in taking a flier on Agbaji, but the Raptors needed a deal where they were getting off of the majority of his contract."
"Toronto is 30-22 and in 6th-place in the Eastern Conference, just one single game out of 4th place. They should be pushing the chips in for a run in the playoffs. Lacking a true superstar, however, they instead made a couple of minor moves, ensuring they wouldn't pay too much for a middling team. That's the problem; this team was not worth pushing the chips in for. They certainly pursued other trades, but there was a massive barrier in the way:"
Toronto remained quiet at the NBA Trade Deadline, making one significant move to offload Ochai Agbaji and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets while taking on Chris Paul’s minimum contract. The transaction saved roughly $7 million in tax payments and removed Toronto from the luxury tax. Agbaji, a 3-and-D wing who struggled with his shot this season after strong 3-point and free-throw percentages previously, was moved despite potential for a bounce-back. At 30-22 and sixth in the East, the team avoided major roster changes, constrained by expensive, long-term player contracts that limited trade interest.
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