TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors achieved two of their aims at the NBA trade deadline, avoiding the luxury tax and adding depth at centre.
Toronto formally announced on Thursday that they had completed a three-team deal with the Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets, acquiring veteran guard Chris Paul.
It was expected that Paul would be waived before reporting, helping Toronto avoid the league’s luxury tax.
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Brooklyn got guard Ochai Agbaji and a 2032 second round pick from the Raptors and cash considerations from the Clippers in return.
Los Angeles received the draft rights to guard Vanja Marinkovic from Brooklyn.
Later, the Raptors got centre Trayce Jackson-Davis from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick.
The trade for Jackson-Davis was not yet official although he did have a name plate put up in Toronto’s locker-room at Scotiabank Arena before the Raptors hosted the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
Penn State hockey star Gavin McKenna, a freshman centre and the presumptive top pick in this summer’s NHL draft, has been charged with felony assault following an incident on January 31.
McKenna, 18, struck a 21-year-old male in the face during the altercation, according to the incident report. The male sustained multiple facial fractures that required surgery.
Gavin McKenna, of Whitehorse, participates in a drill during Canada’s National Junior Team training camp in Niagara Falls, Ont., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn
McKenna was also charged with simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct, according to court documents. His representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Associated Press.
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McKenna was arraigned and released on $20,000 unsecured bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 11.
The incident happened in the hours after Penn State lost to No. 2 Michigan State in an outdoor game at Beaver Stadium, home of the Nittany Lions football team.
McKenna, who is from Whitehorse, Yukon, has 11 goals and 21 assists in 24 games this season for the Nittany Lions. He decided to play for Penn State after the NCAA lifted its ban on Canadian Hockey League players competing at the Division I level.
A name, image and likeness deal with the Nittany Lions helped sway McKenna to join a program that has been at the Division I level for less than 15 years.
McKenna recently had four goals and six assists at the World Junior Championships while helping Canada to a bronze medal.
]]>: Sportshttps://globalnews.ca/?p=11653724<![CDATA[Mark McMorris crash: Olympic snowboarder will miss big air qualifier]]>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:39:15 +0000
Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris will miss tonight’s men’s snowboard big air qualification, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Snowboard Canada said in a statement.
“Working in tandem with the Canada Snowboard and Canadian Olympic Committee medical teams, it was decided as a precaution that Mark will skip the big air event to focus his efforts on being fully healthy for slopestyle,” the statement read. He was released from hospital Thursday morning
McMorris also commented, stating “fortunately, things are looking good for slopestyle, so I’m staying positive and shifting my focus there. Huge thanks to the incredible medical staff who took great care of me, and to everyone who reached out with so much love and support.”
Canadian Olympic snowboarder, medal hopeful Mark McMorris suffers ‘heavy crash’ in training
McMorris “had a fall after landing a run” during the snowboard big air training on Wednesday night.
“As a precaution, he was assisted off the slope and taken to the hospital with Canada Snowboard and Canadian Olympic Committee medical staff for evaluation,” the statement noted.
McMorris suffered life-threatening injuries in 2017 after slamming into a tree during a backcountry ride. He currently has had a rod placed in his leg, a plate in his arm and another in his jaw as a result of that and numerous other injuries he’s endured over the years.
This is McMorris’s fourth Olympic Games.
McMorris has won three bronze Olympic medals in slopestyle.
]]>: Sportshttps://globalnews.ca/news/11653637/raptors-stumble-before-nba-trade-deadline/<![CDATA[Raptors stumble before NBA trade deadline]]>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 10:02:03 +0000
TORONTO – For 24 minutes, the Toronto Raptors dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But then turnovers and the explosive play of Anthony Edwards gave Minnesota momentum in the second half and the Raptors fell to the Timberwolves 128-126 on Wednesday. Brandon Ingram, who led Toronto with 25 points, said that he and his teammates have to get back to their fundamentals.
“Every game is different. I think we can learn how to take care of the basketball for sure and what plays we are gonna run in the fourth quarter to be the best effectively,” said Ingram post-game. “Also, just standing our ground on the defensive side of the basketball and getting stops over and over again.
“We’ve done it before.”
Scottie Barnes had a double-double for Toronto (30-22) with 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Barnes tied Pascal Siakam for fifth on the Raptors’ all-time double-doubles list with 102.
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But those weren’t the numbers Toronto was talking about post-game.
It was the fourth game in a row where the Raptors scored 22 or fewer points in the fourth quarter. Toronto also dropped to 1-12 against teams currently ranked in the top 10 in the NBA.
After giving up only four turnovers in the first half, the Raptors gave up nine after intermission.
“I think that was the main thing there, that out of those turnovers, they were able to get out in transition and then run and score easy on us,” said Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic. “When you’re not getting your shots, you score less and you allow them to score on the other side of the floor as well.
“I thought that was the main thing there.”
Backup centre Sandro Mamukelashvili was reluctant to say that the Raptors were forcing passes in the second half, but he acknowledged they should have been more careful.
“We kind of got a little sloppy with the ball, and that’s the main thing,” said Mamukelashvili, after Toronto led by as many as 18 points. “I think that when you when you have the lead, you control the game.
“We like to play fast, but at the same time, just kind of slowing it down and understanding when we can go and when not (to pass).”
The loss came within 24 hours of the NBA trade deadline.
Media reports had the Raptors making a small transaction earlier Wednesday to get below the luxury tax line.
The three-team deal that saw the Los Angeles Clippers send veteran guard Chris Paul to Toronto and the Raptors move forward Ochai Agbaji, their 2032 second-round draft pick and cash to the Brooklyn Nets.
Several reports said that Paul was not expected to report to Toronto.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2026.
TORONTO – Anthony Edwards scored 30 points, with 21 coming in the second half, to help the Minnesota Timberwolves rally past the Toronto Raptors 128-126 on Wednesday.
Jaden McDaniels added 19 points for Minnesota (32-20) and Rudy Gobert had a double-double with 12 rebounds and 10 points.
The Timberwolves trailed by as many as 18 points before staging their late comeback.
Scottie Barnes had a double-double for Toronto (30-22) with 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Barnes tied Pascal Siakam for fifth on the Raptors’ all-time double-doubles list with 102.
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Brandon Ingram added 25 points for Toronto and Immanuel Quickley scored 23 with eight assists.
Takeaways
Timberwolves: Minnesota’s defence did little to stop Toronto in the first half, allowing 72 points in the first two quarters. The Timberwolves tightened up in the second half and it showed, with them outrebounding the hosts 20-15 in the third and fourth quarters.
Raptors: A strong start carried Toronto through the first three quarters with the Raptors leading by as many as 18 points. The offence stalled out in the second half, however, with Minnesota clawing its way back into the game thanks to better defence and Toronto giving up nine turnovers in the final 24 minutes of play.
Key moment
Edwards stole the ball off Toronto forward RJ Barrett with 2:02 left to play, streaking to the net for a breakaway dunk and a one-point Minnesota lead, the Timberwolves’ first since the opening quarter. On the next possession, Rudy Gobert stripped Barrett of the ball again with the Raptors swingman fouling him.
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