I just had the chance to go through questions that were tweeted my way last night. Unsurprisingly, they were mostly directed towards the power forward issue that the Raptors currently have. I’ll do my best to dissect these questions.
@KiyanSo with most big names gone & raps cap space almost full, are there any opp.s left to pick up a good player in someone's salary dump?
— cam (@Cam_Oflage) July 7, 2015
It’s probably best to get this out of the way first: The Raptors have, reportedly, just over 4 million left in cap space once they waive Luke Ridnour’s unguaranteed deal. Biyombo’s salary does not count towards the cap, as he was signed with the room exception. To further elaborate on this exception, it’s a new rule that allows teams to offer max contracts of two years at 2.5 million without it affecting the cap.
Blake will elaborate on this in an article tomorrow.
4 million is not a staggering amount. One thing is clear: Masai splashed most of the money already on Caroll and CoJo. But there are still some good players out there to grab. The Raptors though, will focus on upgrading their power forward position from here on in. Every other spot is filled at the moment, while the power forward position looks quite thin. I’ll break down three names below.
@KiyanSo @raptorsrepublic what realistic options are out there for an upgrade at PF?
— Rohan Prasaud (@RohanPrasaud) July 7, 2015
@KiyanSo @raptorsrepublic Most realistic power forward that the Raptors can acquire?
— Exotica (@DuelLife23) July 7, 2015
@KiyanSo @raptorsrepublic the raps need a power forward and some more bench help, more specific all if they trade Ross … Who we getting?
— Matt Pearson (@hoyaslayer) July 7, 2015
I’m only listing off three realistic candidates here. Ranked from best to worst in terms of fit with this team.
Terrence Jones
There have been no strong links between Terrence Jones and the Raptors, but if there’s a way to land the Rockets’ forward, the Raptors could find their starting power forward for years to come. Jones is a mobile big who does well on defensive rotations and does a decent job on the glass. His downfall is that he’s a below average 3-point (35.1%) and free-throw (60%) shooter. Jones only played 27 mpg last season, but as a starter, he could easily be a 15-10 guy.
Jones has a really solid interior game offensively. He can finish inside and has an explosive first step which catches opposing power forwards off guard. He has an insane 7’2 wingspan, works his tail off, and is a menace when it comes to cleaning up the rim and getting offensive put-backs.
Although his three-point shooting isn’t exactly feared – Jones can still stretch the floor and draw out interior defenders. Plus, his shot is something that can still be worked on. If Amir Johnson can develop a three-point shot seemingly over the course of a season as a starting power forward, it’s not far-fetched to think a young player who already has the mechanics, to improve into a respectable three-point threat.
Houston already has another great prospect in Donatas Motiejunas at the four, which makes Jones more expendable. But realistically, what do the Raptors have to offer the Rockets? The Rockets will be looking to strengthen their back-court. They need a shooter / scorer-type player who can fill in to take pressure off Harden, and score when Harden is on the bench.
The Raptors have no such player that is expendable, really. Unless you’re willing to package fresh meat like Delon Wright or future draft picks, I don’t think Houston even looks at the offer sheet. Theoretically, a straight up Luke Ridnour + Delon Wright for Terrence Jones would work, but the chances of Houston taking it seriously are slim.
To remind you, here is what the Raptors have in terms of draft picks.
2016 1st round draft pick from New York (worse of Denver/New York)
2017 1st round draft pick from Los Angeles (via Milwaukee Vasquez Trade)
2017 2nd round draft pick from New York (Bargnani trade)
The 2016 pick is an absolute gold mine. The Knicks are going to be awful – again. That’s a potential lottery pick right there. The other two picks are in the air at this point, but I imagine both will be high. The only circumstance where Masai Ujiri should trade the 2016 pick is to acquire a bonafide star. Anything less would be a waste of assets. I don’t believe Masai will touch that pick unless it’s truly a profitable return.
Markieff Morris
Like Jones, Morris has problems stretching the floor efficiently, but he can at least pull-out to the mid-range in a poor man’s LaMarcus Aldridge type of way. His defense is sound – not great, not awful – and he’s not a rim protector. He would probably need to be paired with Biyombo rather than Valanciunas in the starting unit, which becomes problematic because Morris is not a bench player and starting next season he’ll be making 8 million a year.
Realistically, if Morris is acquired, he is going to start at the four regardless of how well he pairs with Valanciunas. Dwane Casey would have to make it work.
Phoenix is making Morris expendable because he clashes with head coach Jeff Hornacek. So what would they be looking for in return? It’s an interesting question, because no one really seems to know what Phoenix is doing. They’re not good enough to make the playoffs, but they’re also somewhat in ‘win now’ mode with their commitment to Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe in the backcourt, as well as their recent investment of Tyson Chandler.
With that in mind, the Raptors could entice the Suns with a 3-for-1 trade: James Johnson, Terrence Ross, and Luke Ridnour for Markieff Morris. Anything less than that wouldn’t work, as it would put the Raptors over the luxury tax, and a deal like that would cripple the depth of the team.
Carlos Boozer
Right off the bat I will say that this would be a borderline disastrous move. Carlos Boozer is a corpse of a corpse. He’s regressed every year since leaving Utah, and he does ridiculous things like this:
Yes, when you’re building a young team headed for a playoff run, it’s nice to have veterans on the cheap (if he indeed comes cheap). But keep in mind Boozer is not your typical veteran. He’s not an old guru that inspires young athletes nor has he ever been known as a character guy.
He can give you entertainment value as a neutral – that I’ll give him.
There is one big problem that arises in a Carlos Boozer signing – that he may become a starter in Dwane Casey’s system solely based on reputation and name. The Raptors would collapse defensively.
There is only one way to entertain the idea of signing Carlos Boozer and that is to have him come off the bench. Now that, is an interesting scenario. Boozer still has somewhat of an offensive game, can rebound at a decent rate, and is a good passer. Losing Lou Williams guts the Raptors of scoring off the bench, but having Boozer might replenish that role. Boozer is in essence, the ‘anti-Biyombo’. In that sense, a Biyombo-Boozer pairing off the bench might actually work.
But again, he would absolutely have to come off the bench. If Boozer is the only power forward the Raptors could net this Summer, you’re asking a lot of Patrick Patterson to be your starting four. I’m sure PatMan would welcome the challenge and could guard most power forwards in the East, but it can’t be your go-to line-up.
There are other interesting names out there: Josh Smith, Jordan Hill, Darrell Arthur. I didn’t elaborate on them, because Zarar covered it pretty good yesterday.
@KiyanSo @raptorsrepublic How likely is it that the raps trade Derozan this off-season? By the trade deadline?
— Ryan (@rynbrwn) July 7, 2015
If this question came up two or three weeks ago, I would have said there’s a chance DeMar gets moved, but the way this off-season is developing, it’s clear to me that DeRozan and Lowry will both be part of the core this season. There isn’t many realistic scenarios now where moving DeMar is conducive to building a better team. If Aldridge was a possibility, you’d move DeRozan – or whoever, really – in a heartbeat.
It’s hard to predict what happens at the trade deadline now, because how the Eastern Conference unfolds now is tough to predict. The Raptors have improved their core and lost some depth along the way, while there are 5-6 other teams who look just as good – if not better than the Raptors. Masai will evaluate that closer to the trade deadline.
