Toronto Raptors General Manager Bobby Webster said Friday that the team explored a major trade at Thursday’s deadline that never became public, but ultimately chose not to overpay.
While Toronto completed a deal with the Golden State Warriors to acquire Trayce Jackson-Davis, Webster noted that a larger pursuit remained unreported.
“The one big thing we went after wasn’t even reported,” Webster said.
The Raptors acquired Jackson-Davis for two second-round picks, Ochai Agbaji and cash after determining that more aggressive options did not align with their rebuilding timeline. Webster said the front office considered bigger moves but found prices across the market too steep.
“We had some fun,” said Webster.
He explained that patience was the priority as the roster continues to come together, and the organization did not want to sacrifice value prematurely.
“I think, at this point, with this group, we didn’t want to chase,” said Webster. “We didn’t want to be in a situation where you felt like you were overpaying. We’re still on the upward climb … we’ve had a pretty positive start; the group is coming together. There will be a time where we’re gonna push in and consolidate and add some picks, but we just felt the prices at this point were a little high for us.”
Toronto previously checked on centers Day’Ron Sharpe and Goga Bitadze before pivoting to the Jackson-Davis deal due to high asking prices.
The team also remains confident in the return of center Jakob Poeltl, who is working back from a back issue.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic said Poeltl is progressing well and could return before the All-Star break, a belief Webster reiterated despite the center missing significant time this season.
“We’ve always been confident that Jak is going to be available. No one here is seven feet, so it’s tough to put yourself in his shoes (regarding a back problem) … but we’re excited. Obviously, things can change as he ramps up again here, but we’re confident and we think he’ll be a good addition for us,” Webster said.
Bobby Webster Says Raptors Targeted Bigger Mystery Deal, Declined To Overpay At Deadline https://t.co/hqJapUkdk2
— RealGM (@RealGM) February 6, 2026
