Report: DeMar DeRozan opts out | Raptors Republic
As a reminder, the Raptors hold the hammer with DeRozan – they can give him a five-year deal at an estimated $144.6M based on current cap estimates, whereas other teams can give him a four-year deal worth roughly $107.4M. That’s a huge difference. And there’s little value to a sign-and-trade in the new cap economy – players can’t receive a fifth year in a sign-and-trade, nor can they get as large a raise, and with so many teams possessing cap space, there aren’t many scenarios where it would make sense for cap circumventing, either.
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Raptors’ SG DeMar DeRozan Opts Out Of Contract | TFB
As expected, DeRozan has elected to test the open market while he is free to sign with any franchise from around the league.
The soon-to-be 27-year-old is a two-time All-Star while his latest trip to the heralded event came last season. Experiencing a career-year in 2015-2016, DeRozan appeared in 78 regular season games for the Raptors while starting all of them.
Report: DeRozan opts out of contract | TSN
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Report: DeRozan opts out of contract
TSN.ca StaffDeMar DeRozan, Ron Turenne/National Basketball Association/Getty Images
It looks like DeMar DeRozan will be an unrestricted free agent after opting out of the final year of his contract Monday night, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Haynes.
DeRozan, who has been on the Toronto Raptors for all seven of his NBA seasons, had a player option for 2016-17 for $9.5 million, but will likely make more money on the open market after leading the Raptors to the Eastern Conference Final this past season.
The 26-year-old shooting guard averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and four assists over 78 games with the Raps. He shot career highs from three-point range (.338) and the free-throw line (.850). In 20 postseason games, DeRozan put up 20.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
General manager Masai Ujiri says getting DeRozan back in Raptors colours next year and beyond is No. 1 on his priority list this summer.
“Our number one goal is to bring DeMar back here,” said Ujiri at the year-end news conference after the Raptors were eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers. “We feel great that he wants to come back to our organization.”
Raptors Guard DeMar DeRozan Officially Opts Out | Hoops Rumors
“My mindset has always been Toronto,” he said. “I always preached it. I was passionate about it when we was losing. When we was terrible, I said I’m going to stick through this whole thing and I want to be that guy who brings this organization to where it is now. I definitely don’t want to switch up after we win.”
On a positive note, this is a good kind of problem for the Raptors to have. It means that Toronto, under GM Masai Ujiri, are finding talented people not just on the court but in the front office to help run the team. It says something when, for example, Nick Nurse is talked about as a possible future head coach in the NBA. And it means something when one of the prominent new head coaches in the league (in Walton), going to one of the highest profile gigs (with the Lakers), looks to a D-League coach in Mississauga to be his right hand man. Things are going right.
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Raptors Lose 905 Head Coach Jesse Mermuys To Walton’s Lakers | Pro Bball Report
His 905 players showed remarkable progress as well with two 905 players picked up by NBA teams for the balance of the season after he turned their games around and forward Ronald Roberts getting offers that he had to turn down after getting hurt. Greg Smith was signed by the Timberwolves and Axel Toupane went to the Nuggets. The Bucks have recently invited Roberts to their NBA Summer League team.
One of Mermuys biggest success stories was turning the podding out-of-shape 7’5 Sim Bhullar into a useful and effective center in the run-and-gun D-League. It’s an all to familiar story in the NBA. An imposing big man with the natural gifts to succeed that can’t seem to get it together at the next level. Bhullar might just make it to the NBA next season and he’ll have Mermuys to thank for it.
Outgoing, positive, easy to relate to and open, Mermuys is a perfect fit on a rebuilding Lakers team. The Raptors are going to miss him.
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Raptors 905 coach Jesse Mermuys set to join Lakers staff: Report | Toronto Star
Casey and Raptors GM Masai Ujiri had expressed optimism last week that Casey’s staff, while reportedly highly sought after by teams around the league through the playoffs, would be back in its entirety in the fall.
Mermuys is the first to leave for a new opportunity.
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Report: Jesse Mermuys to leave Raptors 905 for Lakers | Sportsnet.ca
The 35-year-old Mermuys joined the Toronto Raptors as an assistant coach for the 2013-14 season after spending four seasons as an assistant, video coordinator and advanced scout for the Denver Nuggets. He also spent the 2012–13 season with the Houston Rockets as an assistant coach and director of player development.
Raptors Player Review: Heads up for the hometown kid Cory Joseph | Raptors HQ
Role Next Season
There would be nothing wrong with Joseph continuing to play the same role next season, with some added production by improving his shooting stats. That’s probably a fair expectation. He is already a solid sixth-man, so he has basically reached his ceiling in terms of minutes. Still, he could become even more significant for the team if he can convert more of his scoring opportunities. Either way, Joseph is definitely here for the long haul in Toronto.
Draft workout notes: Brice Johnson, Malcolm Brogdon, and more | Raptors Republic
Brice Johnson
Chad Ford Rank: 37, DraftExpress Rank: 30The Raptors have long needed help at the four, and after four years at a top program, many see the 21-year-old Johnson as someone who can help fill those minutes in the near-term. It’s tough to argue that, given how well he performed as a senior at UNC and how well-suited to the NBA his game seems. How well he plays in game scenarios almost puts him at a disadvantage in workout settings like this, where his instincts and 5-on-5 value maybe aren’t on full display, something Tolzman admitted. The Raptors were still able to get a good look at him, and Johnson was hoping to show off some range he wasn’t able to put on display as a Tar Heel.
“Overall I think it was a pretty good workout,” Johnson said, conceding that he started a little slower but picked it up late. “I can definitely fit with a team like this. Those guys, they had a fantastic year. They really did some great things. I can definitely come in here and help them get over that hump again, if they need me to.”
Johnson definitely has the mid-range jumper down, but it’s unclear if he’ll be able to step out to where he can fit seamlessly next to a traditional big, at least on offense. It looks smooth, but he didn’t shoot particularly well in the open portion of today’s session and didn’t hit a single three in college. Defensively, Johnson has the length (7-foot-1 wingspan, 8-foot-11 standing reach) to handle the four and elite athleticism for the position, though he needs to add some strength, something he’s confident he’ll be able to do.
There’s a lot to like with his rebounding, defense, and post game, and his inclusion on the USA Basketball Select Team is a positive indicator, so I understand the fascination. He’s an NBA player.
NBA Draft Notebook: Raptors work out North Carolina PF Brice Johnson | Sportsnet.ca
The skinny: Johnson was the biggest name in attendance for Monday’s workout. The UNC product is widely projected as a late first-round pick and certainly a possible fit at No. 27, partly addressing the Raptors’ biggest needs at power forward.
Johnson, 21, is coming off a solid senior season in which he averaged 17 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. He excelled on the big stage in the NCAA tournament as well, reaching double-digit rebounds in three of his six games while recording at least 14 points and one block in each of his six games. He is an extremely athletic player with great length, explosiveness, and leaping ability but needs to add bulk and get stronger for his game to translate to the NBA level. The wiry power forward is an effective scorer around the basket with good instincts and a reliable 15-foot jump shot. It remains to be seen if he is physical enough to play with his back to the basket at the pro level. NBADraft.net compared him to Taj Gibson of the Chicago Bulls.
Toronto Raptors: The Case For Drafting Domantas Sabonis | Hoops Habit
Despite those concerns, the Raptors will likely have a need for a backup center with Bismack Biyombo‘s future in Toronto very much in doubt. Whether he’d be playing behind or with fellow Lithuanian big man Jonas Valanciunas, the Raptors give Sabonis a unique situation entering the NBA.
The biggest question remaining in all of this is where the Raptors would potentially select him.
Picking Sabonis at the ninth spot would generally be regarded as a reach for the Raptors and barring unforeseen circumstances, Sabonis is highly likely to be gone when the Raptors select again with the 27th overall pick.
While Sabonis may not have the tantalizing upside of a Henry Ellenson, Marquese Chriss or a Deyonta Davis if all are available at No. 9, the Raptors would know what they are getting with Sabonis in comparison to them and the other bigs/fours in this draft class.
With the 27th pick in the 2016 NBA draft the Toronto Raptors select… | NBADraft.net
With the 27th pick in the 2016 NBA draft the Toronto Raptors select…
Raptors draft-day math: does 9 + 27 equal 4? | Raptors Rapture
The Phoenix Suns own the #4 pick. Masai calls up his counterpart in Arizona, Ryan McDonough, and says “Ryan, here’s the deal. You pick Jaylen Brown, then trade him to us. We’ll give you our #9 and #27 picks, plus a second-rounder next year, in exchange.”
For Phoenix, the temptation to bulk up on two first-rounders, one a lottery pick, may be too great to resist. The Suns are in rebuild mode; the more young talent they can assemble, the better.
For our team, the appeal of the deal is clear-cut. Not only do we get who we want in Brown, but we don’t get a pair of picks when our ability to absorb them is in question.
NBA Rumors: Vince Carter Returning to Toronto Raptors | Hall Of Fame Magazine
If Vince Carter decides to end his career in Toronto, it could be nice fitting to his legendary career. Fans of Raptors still treat him in high regard because he first played there in his career. With changes set to happen to Toronto Raptors’ lineup, the addition of Carter will give inspiration to a franchise rumored to lose its franchise player in free agency.
During playoffs, when Grizzlies were hounded by injuries, Carter provided solid numbers as a starter. From seven points in regular season scoring average, he increased it to 11 points during the playoffs.
An All-Star for eight times, Carter only needs to play two more years to join an elite club of players who played for 20 years. His legacy is already set in record books and hearts of fans. Now, if he could come back and finish his career to where he started, that would be the perfect end to his illustrious career.
Cover Photo: @pdpatt
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