The NBA trade deadline has come and gone and the Toronto Raptors opted not to make a move. That decision, the reasoning behind it, and the risk that comes with it have been covered. The Raptors are what they are now, with two important qualifiers:
- DeMarre Carroll will be back at some point. He’s played just 23 games this season, probably only five of them healthy, and a return to health for the wing stopper more or less has to be assumed – it might not be entirely reasonable to do so, but the Raptors have insulated themselves well enough in the No. 2-spot in the East to bring him along cautiously. If he’s less than 100 percent come playoff time, that changes things for the Raptors a great deal. There’s little reason to think he won’t be, as the Raptors have no incentive to mishandle the situation and rush. Carroll is still a few weeks away, but we should be evaluating the Raptors based on how they’re going to look in late April, and Carroll factors in.
- No, this is not a de facto acquisition. Don’t give me that spin. It’s fine, but it ain’t that.
- The Raptors can still make a move to improve the roster.
Cutting Anthony Bennett
The second point is the focus here. I’ve maintained for weeks that I believed if the Raptors didn’t make a deadline move, they’d leverage one other opportunity to improve the roster: Cutting Anthony Bennett to clear up a roster spot, and then using that roster spot to sign someone off the buyout market.
That might be a tough public relations decision. To that I offer: Who cares? The Raptors gave the 22-year-old Bennett a shot after he was bought out of the third year of his rookie scale contract, and general manager Masai Ujiri was clear it wasn’t a one-year project. Still, the Raptors didn’t get to tack on additional, low-salary, non-guaranteed years that occasionally come with these fliers, and so there’s little reason to keep Bennett on the books simply from a salary cap or asset management standpoint.
With that chance, Bennett, by all accounts, has worked his tail off to deliver. His play just hasn’t come along, as he doesn’t have the range to be a stretch-four, doesn’t have the requisite skill or shooting to be a three, and the defense the Raptors projected for him hasn’t materialized. He’s only been given small samples to show his stuff, but across 74 NBA minutes and 107 D-League minutes, he’s shown uneven effort and poor shot selection, and has generally played poorly.
This isn’t meant to disparage Bennett. He seems like a hard worker and I was hopeful the experiment would work out. It still might, and that’s why cutting him is an option if Ujiri’s claim about the timeline of the project are earnest. The Raptors could cut Bennett and, once he clears waivers (he would), make him an in-season D-League affiliate player. That would allow the Raptors to continue overseeing his development, it would allow Bennett to stay within an organization for stability and get a great deal of playing time, and it would keep him close to the team for another look in the offseason if his game comes along.
The Raptors would risk losing him to a call-up from another NBA team, but if that happens, good for him. The team has to do what’s best for its 15-man roster and its chances in the playoffs.
Being realistic is important, and realistically, Bennett isn’t going to add anything to this Raptors team the rest of the season. If he couldn’t get minutes when Carroll and James Johnson were both injured, when is he going to get them? It may actually be in the best interests of Bennett, too, and there’s little argument, CBA or talent wise, as to why he should stay. He’s Canadian, sure, but so is Melvin Ejim, a better player at this juncture. I’m Canadian, too.
Weaknesses to target
The Raptors should cut Bennett if a buyout candidate or another signing will help fill one of their holes. There are a few, which is why many were disappointed that the Raptors didn’t make a deadline move. None of the holes are glaring, but they’re there.
- 3-point defense: This is a tough one to fix with a signing and is more of a system/Carroll issue. The team needs to execute better in that regard, the next step in the largely successful roll-out of their new defensive scheme.
- Over-worked stars: This is an in-house fix. Head coach Dwane Casey needs to ween the team off of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan 37-minute nights and empower Delon Wright and Norman Powell to help out in spot minutes. We’re not talking a big role, and Carroll’s return will help, but giving the youngsters a bit of run wouldn’t hurt.
- Pick-and-roll defense against stretchier fours: The Raptors struggle with rangy bigs and could struggle with the frontcourt of teams like Detroit, Cleveland, or Miami (if Chris Bosh is healthy). Targeting a defensive-minded four (or three who can slide over) would be great, though it’s going to be difficult to find.
- Another option that would help – swapping Patrick Patterson and Luis Scola in the starting lineup. Iv’e banged this drum so much my stick just went through the cover.
- Shooting: The Raptors could probably use another 3-point threat off the bench. The spacing has been starved with Carroll out, and Patterson has been up-and-down from long-range all season. It never hurts to have more shooting.
Potential targets
There are a few important things to remember when considering who to grab. Please keep them in mind.
- The player has to hit the market. Obviously.
- The player has a choice where they go. The Raptors don’t have the cap space to make an actual waiver claim, so if the player clears waivers, the Raptors have to convince him to sign with them over another team, and money will be equal.
- Anyone picked up isn’t going to be a panacea. The player is going to fill a roster spot that’s been leaned on for 74 minutes this year, and it’s unlikely they’re even going to play much. You’re not looking for the best overall player, necessarily, but the one who would have the most utility in an 11th-man type role or, worst case, as an injury replacement. Band-aids don’t fix bullet holes.
All of that established, let’s look at some potential signing candidates. These are not in order of my preference. They’re just names, either that crossed my mind or that I was asked on Twitter.
D-League
If nothing materializes on the buyout front, the Raptors could use the roster spot to sign a D-Leaguer to a 10-day contract. This won’t move the needle as much as a buyout grab and is somewhat unlikely except in one case, but there are several names that have more utility than Bennett. It also has the benefit of letting the Raptors get a closer look at a name or two for the purposes of next season.
Teams can sign a player to two 10-day contracts before they’d need to lock them down for the rest of the year.
Ronald Roberts – Raptors 905 All-Star who would bring a great deal of energy, elite rebounding, and solid defense. He’s short for the post but has great length, strength, and hops, and could conceivably man the four or five. He doesn’t bring the shooting the team needs, but he has 18-foot range.
Axel Toupane – It’s probably too early for him, but he’s taken massive strides with the 905 this season. Can guard twos, threes, and smaller fours, and his terrific strength and lateral quickness make him a plus-defender at each spot. He doesn’t shoot well outside of the corners but is a solid attacker, gets to the line well, and is a really creative passer.
Melvin Ejim – Hey, you want a Canadian on the team? He’s a rich man’s version of Bennett and has improved a ton this year.
Dahntay Jones – The 35-year-old veteran wouldn’t have much utility but would provide additional leadership and toughness defending the wing at the end of the bench.
Raphiael Putney – If the team wants rim protection and shooting, Putney is the rare player who can offer both. I’d need a closer look at his pick-and-roll defense to really asses his fit in that regard, but he’s been really impressive overall.
There’s an endless list of potential D-League call-ups.
China
The Chinese basketball season is wrapping up, presenting NBA teams with a few options.
Michael Beasley – Averaging 31.8 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 54 percent overall and 37.4 percent on threes. This would be all kinds of awesome, but I’d put the odds at less than zero percent, considering how many opportunities he’s had and his egregious lack of defense.
Dorell Wright – The brother of Delon, he’s a name I was interested in during the offseason. He’s a slender 6-foot-9 but can play a small power forward, and he’s a career 36.5-percent 3-point shooter at the NBA level. One would think the Raptors would have an edge in signing him if they wanted him, but he only offers shooting, as he’s just a decent defender.
I was also asked about Francisco Garcia, but the Puerto Rican season extends into April.
NBA buyout candidates
Here’s the real group of names everyone’s going to want to consider.
Joe Johnson – The dream. It doesn’t sound as if he’s going to get bought out and would almost surely land in Cleveland if he were, but hypothetically, he’d be a solid add as a versatile offensive weapon. His defense isn’t great but he uses his size well enough to man the four, where he can still score on the block. He’s certainly showing his 1,116 games of wear this season but he’s the best name that could conceivably hit the market.
Kevin Martin – He brings scoring from a guard spot and nothing else. The Raptors don’t need scoring, nor do they need depth at the two-guard, their deepest position.
David Lee – Certainly doesn’t help with defense and isn’t a better shooter than Scola, but in terms of overall ability, he could offer something. He’s more of a threat than Scola catching a pass in the pick-and-roll, as he’s a really smart passer, and he’s a quality rebounder and cutter. He’s got a ring, too, if you care about such things.
Keep in mind, though, that Lee is 32 and has played sparingly in back-to-back seasons, and that’s happened for a reason. He also doesn’t fill any of Toronto’s pressing needs – he’d be an addition for the sake of shoring up depth, not one that figured into the rotation.
J.J. Hickson – He’s, umm, not good. He can play the four, sure, but he’s a poor defender, and while his rebounding numbers are strong, his teams have historically and consistently rebounded better on the defensive end without him. He’s a solid dive-man and a decent finisher, things that aren’t pressing needs for the Raptors.
Steve Novak – Sure can shoot. Sure can’t defend. Has appeared in just 42 games since the Raptors dealt him two years ago, hitting 23 threes in that time. Next.
Anderson Varejao – Now 33 years old and coming off of a serious Achilles injury, this isn’t the Varejao of LeBron Era I. He’s managed just 310 minutes on the year, offering little other than defensive rebounding, already a major strength for Toronto. He makes sense as a veteran flier for some teams, but the Raptors already have three centers, and none of them (or Varejao) could play together. It would be a weird use of the roster spot.
Roy Hibbert – The same roster/need points apply as for Varejao, except that Hibbert is still good, at least as a rim protector. He doesn’t score of rebound well for someone his size and the Lakers’ defense remains a mess, but opponents are shooting just 48.5 percent at the rim when he’s contesting and he’s saved the Lakers nearly a point at the rim per-36 minutes, adjusted for position, per Nylon Calculus. Still, there’s no need here, and while he fits the system well, he’d be redundant with Bismack Biyombo present. Hibbert probably also won’t sign anywhere he’s not guaranteed playing time ahead of free agency.
Andrea Bargnani – Look, the Raptors need shooting and they need frontcourt bodies and they need hilarity. Bargnani has a body and would be funny, but he hasn’t been an effective shooter in a long time and this would almost certainly lead to riots in Jurassic Park. I don’t think he’s played his last NBA game, though, as he can still score a little bit inside the arc. This would be dumb, but I’d get a neverending stream of content out of it, so I’m on-board.
A third PG – Some think this is a need, but I’m not of that mind. It’s not necessarily confidence in Delon Wright – I think he’d be fine in spot minutes but isn’t ready for a full backup load yet – but a realism about the Raptors point guard depth. If they need help at the one at some point, that means Lowry’s gone down. In that case, they’re tanked anyway, so I’d rather use the roster spot on a player who could help in the better-case scenario.
I was specifically asked about Tony Wroten and Toure’ Murry. Wroten hasn’t played since the 76ers cut him and you’d need to see how his recovery is coming along in D-League action before thinking about it. He’s great at driving to the rim, but I think he’s more of a flier for a rebuilding team. Murry, meanwhile, is a great defender at either guard spot and has improved his 3-point stroke to where teams can’t drop too far beneath screens against him. He could be a piece for someone but I don’t see the need here.
If the need was deemed to exist, I’d kick the tires on the recently waived Tim Frazier.
Jared Cowen – The Leafs shouldn’t buy him out. He’s trash, but maybe you can recoup some of his value by playing him, then flip him for an 11th-round pick. If not, then buy him out. Because he’s trash.
I was also asked about Reggie Evans (hasn’t played all year, is 35, doesn’t fill a need) and Martell Webster (hasn’t been healthy in years).
Targets
It kind of seems like nobody fits, right? Shocking, really, that players who had no trade value and are now deemed buyout-worthy aren’t moving the needle much. Johnson’s the dream, Lee would be fine, and maybe Wright fits a need. There aren’t defensive-minded fours who can shoot available, sadly.
Still, upgrading Bennett’s roster spot is worthwhile. Bennett’s utility is next to zero right now, and the Raptors could improve their depth slightly without sacrificing Bennett as a long-term project. Right now, Casey only trusts 10 players, maybe 11 if Powell has won him over. That’s fine when rotations shorten in the playoffs, but entering the postseason with a little bit of additional depth would help ease some concern, particularly at the forward spots.
It’s something to keep an eye on between now and March 1, at least.
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