The Toronto Raptors are making a big push to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers as the teams head towards the playoffs. Toronto already made a deal to acquire Serge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic, and they aren’t done quite yet.
The Raptors have acquired P.J. Tucker from the Phoenix Suns.
The Phoenix Suns are trading PJ Tucker to the Toronto Raptors, league source tells @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) February 23, 2017
Sources: Toronto is sending Jared Sullinger and two future second-round picks to Phoenix for PJ Tucker.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) February 23, 2017
Suns GM Ryan McDonough was part of Celtics front office that drafted Sullinger. Sullinger arrives in Tucker deal.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) February 23, 2017
Tucker joins with the Raps and immediately gets pigeonholed as an important wingman, especially on the defensive end. Tucker has been the piece that the Raptors have been looking for to matchup with the talented wings forwards in the Eastern Conference. LeBron James, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Carmelo Anthony are just a few names the Raptors could face for the rest of the season and even the playoffs.
It’s a position Toronto hoped DeMarre Carroll would fill when he signed in the summer of 2015, and while that experiment hasn’t worked out to this point, the Tucker test might be the key to their success. Plus, they get rid of Sullinger, a player they no longer needed after the acquisition of Serge Ibaka.
