toronto raptors trade

Toronto reacts to blockbuster Raptors trade

Well, it's official: The Toronto Raptors are losing three important team members in exchange for a guy who'd better damn well be worth it, Masai.

Contrary to rumours circulating earlier this week, Kyle Lowry is safe, but Jonas Valanciunas, C.J. Miles and Delon Wright are all going to Memphis.

In exchange for the Lithuanian centre and American guards (plus a 2024 second-round draft pick), Toronto gets 34-year-old NBA All-Star Marc Gasol.

Gasol has been playing for the Memphis Grizzlies for more than a decade, joining the team in 2008 after playing for the national basketball team in his home country of Spain.

His record is nothing to sneeze at: He's a two-time Olympic medalist, a three-time All-Star, and was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. But is he worth everything the team is losing in Valanciunas, Miles and Wright?

Some Raptors fans say yes.

The 7-foot-1 centre leaves Memphis as one of the most accomplished Grizzlies in history, according to ESPN.

He also seems like a pretty cool guy in general.

That said, many were crushed (and/or floored) when the trade deadline passed at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

Valanciunas, 26, will be sorely missed after 7 years playing for Toronto.

Ironically, the Raptors publicly celebrated his comeback from a thumb injury on Twitter just hours before the trade was official.

As will Wright, also 26, who joined the Raps in 2015.

C.J. Miles, 31, only joined Toronto in 2017, but he made quite an impression during his time in The 6ix. Just look at this Halloween costume.

No public word yet from any of the freshly-traded former Raptors on how they feel about the move, but Gasol is having fun with it.

Love or hate it, we can all agree that this was a bigger shakeup than most people in Toronto were expecting.

Lead photo by

Toronto Raptors


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Sports & Play

Toronto Blue Jays star Vladdy Guerrero Jr. drops cryptic messages amid contract drama

Canadian hockey fans boo U.S. anthem after being specifically told not to

Brampton NBA player Tristan Thompson in heated feud with Toronto Raptors

Raptors' new star Brandon Ingram already in love with Toronto food scene

Legendary Toronto Maple Leafs announcer passes away

Marineland park in Ontario planning to finally remove all marine mammals

Toronto Raptors legend Kyle Lowry crashes Super Bowl party in Philadelphia

You can get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Rogers Centre in Toronto