The Toronto Raptors are making two deals ahead of the NBA trade deadline

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors have been active ahead of the NBA trade deadline, making two separate deals.

Guard Ochai Agbaji and Canadian center Kelly Olynyk were sent to Toronto from the Utah Jazz for guard Kyra Lewis Jr., junior forward Otto Porter and a 2024 first-round pick.

The Raptors traded guard Dennis Schroeder and forward Thad Young to the Brooklyn Nets for guard Spencer Dinwiddie.

The two deals were first reported by ESPN.

Toronto has three first-round picks in this summer's draft. ESPN reports that the lowest of those will be sent to the Jazz as part of a deal for Olympique and Agbaji.

Born in Toronto but raised in Kamloops, B.C., Olympique captained Team Canada to a bronze medal at the FIBA ​​World Championships last fall.

He is a key part of the players who have committed to play in the Paris Olympics in July.

Olynyk averaged 8.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists this season. Agbaji, the 14th pick in the 2022 NBA draft, averaged 5.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists.

Porter averaged 2.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists this season. The 30-year-old veteran forward has been bitten by the snake since signing a two-year deal with Toronto in July 2022.

He had season-ending surgery on his left foot last season after playing just eight games. He missed several weeks this season with a knee injury in early January and has not played since returning from injury.

Lewis played in just one game with Toronto — picking up a personal foul with 1:33 remaining — after he was traded to the Raptors on Jan. 17 as part of the deal that traded All-Star forward Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. Lewis is averaging 2.8 points, 1.1 assists and 0.9 rebounds in 16 games this season.

Schroeder signed a two-year, $26 million contract with Toronto on June 30 and became the Raptors' starting point guard at the start of the season. On December 30, the trade that brought Canadian swingman RJ Barrett and guard Immanuel Quickley from the New York Knicks to Toronto moved Schroeder to the bench. He is averaging 13.7 points, 6.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds so far this season.

Young has seen limited action for most of his time with the Raptors, but has been playing since early January. The 35-year-old veteran averaged five points, 3.3 rebounds and two assists in 23 games this season.

Dinwiddie averaged 12.6 points, 6 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 48 games. He has played over 30 minutes per game for the Nets this season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on February 8, 2024.

John Chidley-Hill, Canadian Press