Landry Fields, for all intents and purposes is already out of the team, now he has a medical reason to be so:
Fields underwent a minor surgical procedure yesterday to address the ulnar nerve release on his right wrist. #RTZ
— RaptorsMR (@RaptorsMR) January 22, 2014
Reports indicate a three-week stint on the sideline. How will this affect the Raptors? It will not at all. Dwane Casey chose to play Julyan Stone ahead of him when Nick Young needed stopping, so that should tell you what he thinks of what Fields brings to the table. I expect him to be traded at the deadline, completing the triumvirate of trades that shed unwanted players and salary.
In other news, the Raptors are the 18th most valued franchise in the NBA. This is pretty remarkable considering we haven’t had two playoff gates in a decade. As Sportsnet puts it:
The list—which factors in revenue and operating profit—says the Raptors are currently valued at $520 million, up from $405 million in 2013, a 28 percent increase. The Raptors also boasts the league’s 12th highest operating income at $28.8 million. However, the team’s overall evaluation is still off the pace of the average franchise, now worth $634 million.
What does all this mean? Season ticket prices are going up. Why? Because money, that’s why.
