Trayce Jackson-Davis Embraces Toronto Move, Ready to Contribute to Raptors
The newest member of the Toronto Raptors arrived during one of the chilliest days in recent memory, but the frigid temperatures did little to dampen his enthusiasm. Trayce Jackson-Davis, acquired in a trade from the Golden State Warriors earlier this week, expressed excitement about his fresh start in the North.
"I’m from the Midwest, so I’m used to the cold, nothing new to me, happy to be here," said Jackson-Davis after his first practice with the team on Saturday. The centre hails from Greenwood, Indiana, near Indianapolis.
A Welcome Change of Scenery
Jackson-Davis is in his third NBA season, but his playing time had diminished since a promising rookie campaign with the Warriors. He was receptive to a change, especially when his agent, James Dunleavy, informed him that Toronto was "very aggressively interested" in acquiring him.
The trade process unfolded quickly. Jackson-Davis was traveling with the Warriors to Phoenix when he received a call from Golden State general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., who coincidentally is his agent's older brother.
"He basically said that Toronto really, really wants you," Jackson-Davis recounted. "He said that we love you here in Golden State, but you deserve to play and he said 'this is going to be a great opportunity for you.'"
While initially nervous about relocating and acclimating to a new city and team, those feelings were quickly replaced by excitement after his first interactions with the Raptors.
"Already, just from today in practice, the guys are really, really cool, really good people, and I’m excited," he said.
Making a Strong First Impression
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic was impressed with what he saw from the new addition during the initial practice session.
"Really good first impressions. You can see that he’s a very smart player," Rajakovic said. "He’s picking up things very quickly. He’s also asking really good questions... He showed that he can be a really good lob threat for us."
The coach emphasized a patient approach, stating the team would allow Jackson-Davis to integrate and demonstrate his capabilities naturally.
His new teammates also welcomed the athletic centre, with RJ Barrett referencing a viral dunk Jackson-Davis had over the towering Victor Wembanyama earlier in his career. On the first play of Saturday's scrimmage, Barrett threw him a lob for a dunk.
"(Barrett) told me that earlier in the day he said, 'anyone that dunks on Wemby, we’re throwing it up to him'. And so the first play, he threw me a lob, he said 'I told you'," Jackson-Davis shared, noting the early chemistry building.
Proven Competitor and Athletic Asset
Starting centre Jakob Poeltl, who returned to practice after an injury absence, offered his assessment of Jackson-Davis based on their three previous NBA matchups.
"Really solid, undersized, but knows how to find the spots to use his strengths to his advantage," Poeltl said. "Really efficient in that way."
In those three games, Jackson-Davis averaged 9.3 points and 7 rebounds while shooting an impressive 70% from the field. Poeltl averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds in the same contests.
The 6-foot-9 (or 6-foot-10, by some reports) centre will wear No. 32, the same jersey his father, former NBA player Dale Davis, wore during his career with teams like the Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Detroit Pistons.
Basketball Pedigree and Future Outlook
Jackson-Davis comes from a strong sports background. In addition to his father's NBA career, his stepfather, Ray Jackson, was a standout NCAA football player who had NFL training camp experience and played in NFL Europe.
He also credits learning from veteran Warriors teammates like Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. Now, he is eager to apply those lessons in Toronto.
He described the Raptors as a "young group, a hungry group that’s winning, building a winning culture."
"Here we have young guys leading, and I’m gonna fit in like a glove, so just can’t wait to get started," Jackson-Davis said. "A lot of young athletic dudes, guys that can space the floor, guys that run in transition, athleticism, stuff that I do well, so it’s gonna be a lot of fun."
The Raptors sent a second-round pick to the Warriors to complete the trade late Wednesday night, adding an athletic, high-energy player to their frontcourt rotation as they continue their season.
