Raptors Weekly Podcast, May 30 – Evaluations, Exits and Extensions | Raptors Republic
We’re grading players, kicking some people out the door, signing others up, and pointing out a glaring ESPN inaccuracy.
Biyombo on return: ‘Things can always be worked out…It’s not always about money’ | Raptors Republic
Before you pencil Biyombo in at a discount, consider this: Say he signs for $13 million per-year (below his $15 million floor and $17 million reported projection). That would still require the Raptors to renounce the rights to the rest of their non-DeRozan free agents and trade Terrence Ross to a team that would absorb him into cap space (taking little to no salary back). And then that would be it. They’d keep Biyombo, they’d be able to retain DeRozan, they’d have lost Ross, and every other addition would be small or via trade. Those are possible numbers and maneuvers, but “Biyombo stays, Ross out” becomes your marquee offseason move. Feel however you want about it, but you have to accept that if Biyombo’s in your plans.
And in that case, you’re paying that money for a backup center and occasional starter. He and Jonas Valanciunas don’t fit together on the court particularly naturally, and the hope would be that they can spend a few minutes together here and there based on matchup rather than that they could be a full-time frontcourt. Even if it’s a fair price, the question then becomes whether it’s the best use of (very) limited assets given the team construct.
There’s the option to have Biyombo replace Valanciunas, of course, and Valanciunas could probably command a nice return on the open market…except that the Raptors couldn’t take much salary back if they’re going to use the resultant space on Biyombo. I’m of the believe Valanciunas at $16M is a better piece than Biyombo at $13M, given their respective limitations and ceilings, but maybe that’s a way to better leverage the Biyombo asset and pick up some future assets in the process, if you’re committed to Biyombo and the defense-first approach.
This is, I think, the important quote to keep in mind from Ujiri when trying to figure where the team goes next:
“Well, you know sometimes the reality, and what fans need to hear from me, is it doesn’t happen overnight. And there is a little bit of luck to it. But we see where our team is, and we will continue to try to put those pieces in place that gives this team a chance to win. And it’s tough. Because one of the things I said here at the end of the season is the East has gotten a lot better, and it’s going to get a lot better, even more. And so, we have a tough challenge coming up next year.”
Some of that is expectation management, I’m sure, but the Raptors jumped their curve a bit this year and expecting linear progression is probably going to leave you disappointed. They’re in a tough position, cap wise, to bring everyone back and improve. But hey, that’s what Ujiri’s paid for, right? It’s going to be an interesting couple of months.
4 scenarios to consider with DeMar DeRozan’s free agency | The Defeated
My verdict: Try for the 3-year extension
As with every position on the Raptors, I would be in favor of an upgrade. So if Batum or, god forbid, Kevin Durant wants to sign here, then by all means let DeRozan go.
But in lieu of those options, I’ll gladly take DeRozan on a shorter deal. Because if the floor with DeRozan is having a tradeable asset and a playoff appearance, I’ll take that over letting him go for a roll of the dice with Norman Powell and Valanciunas.
Putting aside the basketball itself, building a culture does matter. The Raptors have finally found some sustainable success, and even though it’s more a credit to Lowry than DeRozan, the fact is that the two of them both have formed the pillar of this franchise. And although it sounds silly to sign a player just to maintain a reputation across the league and to appease fans, it’s not like there’s a perfect option out there anyway.
Giving DeRozan the max would be an overpay for his on-court production, but there’s more to it than stretching a dollar. DeRozan represents more to the franchise than just serving as its starting shooting guard.
I’d like to see the Raptors run it back at least one more season, then make a call with Lowry in 2017. And once that’s decided, they can revisit DeRozan’s long-term fit.
Can Raptors land big star in quest to be championship team?: Arthur | Toronto Star
Ujiri has been trying to build the name and momentum of the franchise since he came back, in little and big ways. The all-star game, or swearing in the Square. The $60-million practice facility, or his pursuit of big free agents. He didn’t get to this place without ambition. This season, the Raptors were as good as you could expect them to be.
The big move, though: well, that’s the hardest. The Toronto Raptors have never attracted a big free agent, or traded for a current all-star. They have to be willing to come. That’s the only play there is.
“I think players will always want to come when you have a great city, great fans,” said Ujiri. “We have heard what players have said about the atmosphere, playing, our ownership, the support. I say it again: Outside of winning, which maybe we don’t have a history like other teams, we work for a top-five, top-three organization in the NBA by far, in my opinion, whether you’re talking about fans, organization, ownership, resources. They give it to us. Look at where we’re sitting in a practice facility. It’s everything that we want. That’s what we have to put in front of these players. We have to create that atmosphere for them. You match that with winning, and I think they’ll be attracted to here.”
Not everyone agrees on how many true super-elite difference-making superstars there are in the game, but it’s a short list. And the history of NBA champions is a history of superstars. Since 1980, there have been three champions without a starter who was a past or future MVP: Detroit in 1989 and 1990, and Detroit in 2004. That’s it. The jump from good to great is a chasm. It’s the difference between going to New Zealand, and going to the moon.
But that’s the only road to take. Ujiri doesn’t want to clamber back down into the 45-win pit, so he can trend towards positive inertia: stay good, pay people, nip and tuck, keep the Raptors relevant, as he puts it. Maybe there’s a package that includes the No. 9 pick and Terrence Ross to someone who has heard how good he is in summer games. Maybe there’s something bigger, lurking, but it’s not obvious. For now, stay good, you try to stand next to LeBron in the playoffs, give him a scare, maybe get lucky.
Family man Ujiri facing cold, hard business decisions | Sportsnet.ca
Masai Ujiri is a people person and a family man. He’s built the Toronto Raptors in that image. When you walk towards the dressing room at the Air Canada Centre the family room is on the left and is typically teeming with young kids, Ujiri’s among them. As you walk into the room itself on the right-hand side is a panel of white tiles with inlays of pictures of the Raptors players and staff and their families.
In an era when the collision of increasingly hard salary caps and the rise of increasingly sophisticated analytical tools has made the commoditization of players ever more routine, the Raptors president and general manager loathes referring to “our guys” as assets to be bought and sold and moved around dispassionately.
But that’s his job. He knows it and doesn’t shy away from it. In the space of two years he’s assembled a deep, young team that’s on the rise but with too many good players and not enough to spend on them.
Short of him being able to pull some kind of hometown discount rabbit out his hat the Raptors team that finished second in the East and earned the respect of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will look different at training camp in October. How different depends on how clever Ujiri can be with the chess pieces whose kids play with his kids.
To-do list is big for Raptors this summer | Toronto Sun
On the likelihood or not of getting all his free agents back in the fold, a list that includes DeRozan, Biyombo, James Johnson and Jason Thompson
“I don’t know how possible that is, but honestly, it’s our job,” Ujiri said. “We have to figure it out. That’s why we’re brought here to do this. Some of the things are more difficult than others. But to me, the approach is, our guys have said that they want to be here. That’s the first step, to build your culture and build your team, and you try to learn how to win and build winning. That attracts players. That makes players want to stay here. That’s the first step. And then, it’s kind of put on my table, and our guys in the front office, to figure it out. We’ll try to figure it out.
Reading between lines of what Raptors GM Masai Ujiri said today | Toronto Star
On next month’s draft
The Raptors have the ninth and 27th pick in the 2016 draft.
“I’m open. I’m open to move at any time. If you have any suggestions.”
What it means: Already with four kids — Bruno Caboclo, Lucas Nogueira, Norm Powell and Delon Wright —clogging the end of the roster, there is a slim to none chance that two others will join them there next year. A trade, or a draft-and-stash, is almost a certainty.
Free Association: How the Raptors can get even better | Sportsnet.ca
The guys recap the game six loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and reminisce about the best season in franchise history? JD gives his take on LeBron James showing love to the Canadian basketball fans.
The big questions tackled are:
Should DeMar DeRozan get a max contract offer from Toronto?
Is there a way to bring back Bismack Biyombo?
How does the ninth pick in the NBA Draft affect Masai Ujiri’s plans?
What will happen to Dwane Casey’s coaching staff?
The Bismack Biyombo “decision” isn’t a difficult one for the Raptors | Raptors HQ
What if the Raptors let DeRozan leave in free agency, and use the freed up money to keep Biyombo?
Given how beloved Biyombo is and the polarizing nature of DeRozan’s status with the team, this is a plan that would probably gain some traction among Raptors fans.
For a lot of reasons, this would be a tremendously poor use of cap space. As blood-boiling as DeRozan can be, allowing him to walk away in free agency is suspect bit of asset management on its own. To then turn around and use the majority of the projected $18.8 million in available cap space (if DeRozan, Luis Scola, James Johnson and Jason Thompson all leave) on Biyombo would handcuff the Raptors from improving their weaknesses, while centralizing a huge amount of resources in on position. Forget the fact that if Biyombo fetches the full rumored $17 million average salary the Raptors will be paying more for their backup centre than they will be for their starter. Even if Biyombo does in fact take a few million dollars less per year, you’re still looking at roughly $30 million dollars — roughly a third of the salary cap — locked up at the centre position.
Without a substantial amount of cap space left over, the Raptors would be unable to sign a wing capable of coming close to matching DeRozan’s offensive production or bring in a power forward to take over the black hole that was Luis Scola’s minutes this year — widely regarded as the team’s biggest weakness this season. There’s always the possibility of trades, but shipping off someone like Terrence Ross — maybe Ujiri’s most movable piece — becomes a lot harder to do if DeRozan is no longer around.
And it’s not as if having Biyombo and Valanciunas on the roster lends itself well to funky two-big lineups that are actually effective. We didn’t get more than a few minutes at a desperate time in Game 5 against Cleveland of the two-centre front court, so we hardly have any empirical evidence on whether or not it can be successful.
On defense, it’s not a bad look. Biyombo flashed an ability to guard stretchy big men, wings and even cyborgs in the Eastern Conference Finals. With Valanciunas being a little too heavy-footed to hang with smaller players and the Channing Fryes of the world, Biyombo could be a perfect complement to what ails him on defense. But even then, asking Biyombo to man the four on defense takes him away from the area near the rim that he protects so damned well.
Raptors’ Biyombo expects to be back, says he’ll take hometown discount | Sportsnet.ca
Ok, fair enough. Biyombo thoroughly enjoyed the Raps’ playoff run along with the rest of us, but money is the biggest issue here, and he addressed that, too. When asked if he would take a hometown discount, he didn’t hesitate with his answer:
“Yeah. Things can always be worked out,” Biyombo said Monday, “I’ve said that to my people, I’ve said that to Masai. When the right time comes I’d be open to figuring something out. At the end of the day it’s for fun, not money. It’s not always about money. Money is great, but at the same time I ask ‘how much fun am I going to have? The city is great, the team is great, and we’re winning.”
In the ten games following Jonas Valanciunas’ injury in the second round of the playoffs, Biyombo averaged 8.2 points on 60% shooting, 11 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 33 minutes per game.
He stressed how important this offseason was for the Raptors, and his desire to get back in the gym and go to work, stating that he wants to focus on basketball and not on contract negotiations. “I have the right people in my corner to handle that,” Biyombo said, “so I’m not concerned about it. One thing I’m thankful for is the opportunity I was given here. The whole season as we faced ups and downs [but] my teammates allow me to be myself and play my game. It was so much fun to be around my teammates, be around the city. I’m expecting for myself to be back here and I believe I have the right people to get it done.”
Raptors: Biyombo Says He’d Take a Discount to Stay in Toronto | Tip of the Tower
The Toronto Sun‘s Ryan Wolstat believes Biyombo would be open to taking a discount of around $2-3 million a season, equating to approximately $8-12 million total depending on the length of his deal, but that would still put him in line to earn anywhere from $12-17 million a season, if you go off last week’s $15-20 million report.
With Jonas Valanciunas signing a four-year, $64 million contract extension last season, can the Raptors afford to commit anywhere from $25-30 million a season to two centres?
Biyombo did say money isn’t the only thing that drives him, but when you look back at the kind of raise Tyson Chandler got following his huge playoff performance during the 2011 postseason, it might be tough for Biyombo to turn down some of the offers that are sure to come his way during this offseason.
Ujiri opens up on Raptors roster needs, off-season targets | Sportsnet.ca
If Ujiri and the Raptors do manage to bring both DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo back into the fold (a difficult—unlikely, even— goal Ujiri stated on Monday), it will leave the Raptors with minimal cap space to acquire free agents. But given the teams’ two first rounders (more on those in a bit) and possible trade chips like Terrence Ross (more on that, too), some creativity could open the team up to more options to improve the team via free agency.
When asked about potential free agent targets, Ujiri identified the four-spot as an area he feels the Raptors need to address most.
Luis Scola was a key contributor in the regular season and played a bigger role on the club than most could have anticipated when he was quietly signed last summer, but the playoffs hammered home that he probably shouldn’t be playing big minutes for a team with their eye on the NBA Finals. Patrick Patterson was outstanding at times on both ends of the floor but is more valuable (and seems more comfortable) coming off the bench. DeMarre Carroll can play the four, but projects to again be the starting small forward.
In other words: Ujiri is right. But with the team’s cap situation still uncertain, and a lack of marquee players available at the position (or in the NBA, period, these days) it could affect the Raptors’ options.
“The way the NBA is going,” Ujiri said, “and also the emergence of Valanciunas and Biyombo, [power forward] is a position where we really kind of have to get creative there and figure out what’s going to work, not only financially and not only fitting with the cap but also the type of player that we bring.
Given that Ujiri also maintained Valanciunas is ready to take on a much bigger role in the offense, it means the team needs a player who doesn’t require a ton of touches, but can help protect the low post and, given the nature of today’s NBA, step out to the three-point line and also guard opposing forwards along the perimeter. There are role players out there that fit the description (more on that later this week), but it appears for Ujiri it will all be about fit in context with the existing roster.
Tough decisions ahead for Ujiri’s Raptors | TSN
Whatever they decide to do, they will have to get creative. Toronto’s front office is comprised of some of the brightest minds of the business – including Ujiri, Jeff Weltman, Bobby Webster and Dan Tolzman – and they will have some assets to work with. Norman Powell, the standout rookie, will earn just over $800,000 next year, an absolute bargain, which could make Ross and his $10-million contract expendable. They also have two first-round picks – ninth and 27th overall – to dangle, and they almost certainly will given how young the back-end of their roster is already, along with the fact they’re in win-now mode.
Their playoff run revealed what most already knew, including Ujiri: they’re a good team, perhaps a very good team, but they’re not good enough to get to where they ultimately aspire to go.
“I go home, my wife says, ‘You should be proud of the season,’ and I say thank you to be a good husband,” Ujiri joked. “But there’s 29 teams that have lost, and there’s 29 disappointed teams in the NBA at the end of the season, and we’re one of them. So I go in with that mentality.
“I don’t know if I feel differently, sometimes, from last year and this year. Because we didn’t win the championship. Could we have won the championship? I don’t think we are good enough yet. We’re not there yet. But you have that disappointment in you and that urge that you want to go and do better.”
They’ve come a long way. Gone are the days of players racing for the nearest exit, but that’s only the first step, as Ujiri says. Now the power shifts from the players and the coaches, the on-court product, to Ujiri. Their future is in his very capable hands, the question is: what will he do with it?
Raptors GM Masai Ujiri says No. 1 goal is to re-sign DeMar DeRozan | CBSSports.com
Ujiri said that he has always had permission from ownership to go into the luxury tax, but that isn’t particularly relevant yet. Since the Raptors do not have cap space, they cannot simply re-sign Biyombo and then go over the cap to sign DeRozan. Even if he was willing to give Toronto a bit of a hometown discount, it would not make much of a difference to its big-picture plan. Realistically, that means he will get a maximum contract or something extremely close to it.
Given that Ujiri said DeRozan is his top priority and DeRozan said he’d like to spend his whole career with one organization, there is clearly motivation on both sides to get a deal done in early July. That was always the most likely outcome for the two-time All-Star, and both he and the front office want to build on the best season in franchise history.
“I spoke to him yesterday and his eyes were still red,” Ujiri said. “You can tell. He said he felt empty the next day, which was telling. Speaking to him and Kyle, it almost felt like we had a game to play still. And that game is not there. So there’s that hunger. You like that. And then now it’s my part to figure it out.”
Raptors GM on Dwane Casey’s contract status: ‘That’ll be done in our sleep’ | CBSSports.com
“I sat here, I know everybody thought I was BSing when I said coach deserves to be the coach here,” Ujiri said. “I believed in this team is what I said before we went into that series. You kind of know from your guys what you’ve gone through the whole regular season. You’ve been in fights and battles with them. I don’t know what the outcome is going to be. You really know where you can rely on them. Honestly, we knew this from these guys. They showed it to us the last three years. It’s why we keep going and going and trying and giving them the best opportunity and putting them in the best place that we can. I cannot say if we lost that series, I can’t say what would have happened, because we didn’t lose it.”
The Raptors have a team option on the final year of Casey’s contract. It would not be unprecedented for them to decline it after their best season in franchise history, but it would be shocking. While Toronto was inconsistent in the playoffs, it won two Game 7s and it beat the Cleveland Cavaliers twice at the Air Canada Centre. Casey’s approach and adjustments deserve credit for that.
The Toronto Raptors? Gone till November. | Ball Don’t Lie
Biyombo is not a playoff sensation, the next Marvin Webster or Jerome James in-waiting. The big man contributed darn good ball as both a starter and reserve for Toronto consistently in 2015-16, and though he won’t be worth the $20 million a year some team will possibly offer him for next season, that figure can be argued away considering his youth and the paucity of attractive options at the hardest position to fill.
Would Toronto want to pay so much for two centers in an era that can’t wait to go small by the first TV timeout? Would they even be able to compete for Biyombo’s services, as the team is barred from going into the luxury tax to re-sign the pivotman? Would they consider moving an asset to clear payroll?
Would any of it be worth it? There aren’t many teams nipping at Toronto and Cleveland’s heels – Atlanta is in flux, Detroit and Charlotte seem limited, Chicago is a mess, Indiana is a question mark, Boston has yet to hit home runs with all its assets – but is this the payroll sheet you want to commit to moving forward?
Especially, and we can’t stress this enough, a payroll featuring player after player that Masai Ujiri did not draft nor trade for?
It was a fun, if nervous, few weeks for the Raptors. The team is in a very good position, but there is always a risk in committing to a very good, and not great, position.
The Toronto Raptors Aren’t Going Anywhere | The Cycle
Immediately after dismantling the Toronto Raptors and clinching his sixth straight trip to the NBA Finals, LeBron James needed a minute. It wasn’t to gather his thoughts nor catch his breath, though. It was to take a moment to acknowledge the Air Canada Centre crowd standing, cheering and chanting its team off the floor for the final time during the 2015–16 season.
Success often works in stages. Coming in waves, first one level is conquered, then another, then another. Overachieving becomes the expectation, then the norm. Three years ago, the Toronto Raptors burst back into the playoffs after a five-year drought, packing the ACC as well as the square outside of it. Following a thrilling seven-game first-round series against a veteran Brooklyn Nets team, the season was over, but the dream was alive. The Raptors had arrived.
Since that series, NBA fans across the globe have watched Raptors fans express their love for the team. Stretching across Canada and showing up in arenas across the U.S., these fans have cheered and chanted and waved their #WeTheNorth flags as a show of appreciation for a team that has been steadily climbing the NBA ranks as it has created a new identity for itself.
On Saturday morning, less than 12 hours since Toronto’s most successful season in franchise history came to an end, DeMar DeRozan delivered a love letter in spoken word form to the city. Speaking to the media for his exit interview before the players went their separate ways for the summer, the longest-tenured Raptor spoke of loyalty and history, of a changing public perception and being the guy who stayed to watch it all unfold.
#TeamCarroll Update: Open Letter From #JYD2Point0 | DeMarre Carroll’s Official Website
The day I signed with the Toronto Raptor was one of the happiest and nervous days of my life. I was put in a situation to help a Franchise grow and be a key piece to meet the objective. I had opportunities to sign somewhere else for a bigger contract but that wasn’t the ideal situation. I had to make a decision between two franchises and I chose Toronto. The reason I chose Toronto was because they had a team that I felt could get to the next level. They also had loyal fans that support their team through ups and downs. I felt the city of Toronto had more to offer in so many ways.
Replacing a Raptor: James Johnson | Raptors Rapture
James Johnson is an unrestricted free agent and I don’t feel confident the Raptors would want him back considering he will probably be looking for a pay raise. There was an incident that previously led the organization to trade him to the Kings for essentially nothing in his last stint with the Raptors. It was a shock the Raptors brought him back after that, but at the time the team lacked a defensive wing stopper. DeMarre Carroll replicates what Johnson brings on the defensive front plus brings more skills on offense. Both are defenders that can body-up an opposing forward. Carroll is clearly a better 3 point shooter and doesn’t have the attitude issues James Johnson has previously shown. It simply doesn’t make sense for the Raptors to tie-up cap space in a player who won’t be fully utilized. James Johnson is talented enough to find a place in the NBA with another franchise.
The Best (and worst) of the Raptors’ incredible 2016 NBA playoff run | Sportsnet.ca
BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE
Kyle Lowry versus Miami, Game 7
Vince Carter scored 50 points in a playoff game, which is why this is not said lightly: This was the best performance in Raptors franchise history.
Lowry took what the defence gave him, with an emphasis on “took.” His effort was an aggressive act. The Heat dared him to shoot, and Lowry knocked in five of his seven 3-pointers. When the Heat adjusted, Lowry adjusted, managing 11 free-throw attempts. In all, he finished with 35 points (on just 20 field-goal attempts), nine assists, seven rebounds and four steals, keying the team’s most complete performance of the post-season. Among other things, Lowry was an ace in transition, making the right decision every time down the floor. Lowry had several other performances against Miami that could compete for this honour, while the performances of DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo in Game 3 against Cleveland and DeRozan and Lowry in the next game could qualify, too.
Best Raptor year by far, best team maybe; and Masai’s summer to-do list | Toronto Star
After all the hell the organization had put fans through for a big chunk of two decades, there should be universal thanks thrown their way.
So, yes. Best season.
Best team? I still really, really like that 2001 team. It had a few more characters, a few more old heads and it was as good a story most day as it was a team.
This is a great group, don’t get me wrong and it was pleasure to cover them on this extended run. Still, there was something about Vince and Alvin and Oak and Antonio Davis and Dell and Mo Pete that was something else.
We’ll call that a tie with maybe a slight edge to the 2001 group in that regard.
Now, what’s next?
Masai’s doing his end-of-the-season chinwag this morning and it’ll be interesting to hear what he says, even though I bet you dollars to donuts that there’s nothing too outrageous or firm as he answers questions.
Did I miss something? Send me any Raptors-related article/video to rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com
