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TSN Raptors Reporter

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TORONTO — While the Cleveland Cavaliers accounted for most of the noise on NBA trade deadline day, the Toronto Raptors did make a small move Thursday afternoon, according to The Vertical, sending forward Bruno Caboclo to the Sacramento Kings for swingman Malachi Richardson.

This isn't a deal that's likely to have direct on-court implications this season. Caboclo has spent most of this season – his fourth – in the G-League, appearing in only two NBA games. Meanwhile, the sophomore Richardson is averaging less than 13 minutes in just 25 games. If he wasn't playing much for one of the league’s worst teams, you can bet he won’t on one of its best.

However, in making the swap, the Raptors figure to shed just under $1 million in salary off their books for this season, which should free up enough space for them to fill their vacant 15th roster spot without dipping into the luxury tax.

Although teams don't officially release their payroll information, most projections had Toronto just under the league's tax line, likely to go over it if they signed another player. Now they should have enough flexibility to be players in the buyout market, which generally heats up following the trade deadline.

As rebuilding teams start waiving expensive or unneeded veteran players later this month, the Raptors could theoretically offer them a prorated minimum salary deal and a chance to compete for a conference championship.

The Raptors were expected to be quiet at the deadline. Unlike last season, there wasn't the same sense of urgency to make a big move, with the team playing well and seemingly being better equipped to make a run with what they have.

"I mean, help ain’t even a thought now," DeMar DeRozan said Thursday morning.

He, like teammate and fellow all-star Kyle Lowry, had called for change with the Raptors struggling ahead of last season's deadline. 

"Last year we threw that out there but now we don’t sit up here thinking we need help or something like that,” DeRozan said. “It’s all about us just being consistent. We’ve been showing that and we have what we have for a reason. We still have a long way to go to continue to get better."

They also weren't well situated to make a big splash even if they wanted to. They were limited in terms of the first-round picks they could offer and didn't have the type of mid-level contracts you need to match salary in incoming deals. Both of those things were crucial in acquiring Serge Ibaka a year ago.

Without the means to go out and make a significant deal, the waiver wire will be a more feasible way of adding some veteran insurance to a deep, albeit young, roster and maybe addressing the team's biggest need: shooting.

Richardson, 22, is a long, athletic wing player with some range in his jumper. He won't factor into the rotation this year and should spend the bulk of his time with the 905, but is under contract for next season (and the year after if the Raptors choose to extend him a qualifying offer).

The Raptors drafted Caboclo with the 20th-overall pick in 2014. The Brazilian forward was a blank slate at the time, coming to North America without much experience in the sport and still learning the language. While his upside was purely theoretical, Masai Ujiri was enamoured with his physical tools – a 7-foot-7 wingspan and limitless athleticism.

However, he only played in 25 NBA games over four seasons, logging just 113 total minutes. Although he's made strides, particularly as a defender in the G-League, he hasn't developed in the way Toronto was hoping.

Caboclo will be a free agent this summer.