Nando De Colo re-signs with CSKA Moscow | Raptors Republic
Alas, De Colo seems set to stay in Russia into his 30s. For now, he exists on the Raptors’ books as a $1.9-million cap hold, which the Raptors can remove by renouncing his rights. Should the Raptors want to retain De Colo’s rights for a potential NBA return in the future, they would need to tender him a $1.83-million qualifying offer (a fully guaranteed one-year deal) by June 30, which would expire (and come off the books) on October 1. The Raptors could also withdraw that qualifying offer up until July 23 if De Colo consented, rendering him an unrestricted free agent but maintaining his Early Bird Rights.
Depending on what type of cap maneuvers the Raptors need to perform this offseason, and how likely they deem an NBA return for De Colo, it’s possible they renounce his rights to clear his cap hold and open up a bit of additional wiggle room.
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Inside the Role of an NBA Player Development Coach | VICE Sports
“The chess match has been very interesting over the first couple rounds and over this one. That’s about all of us together throwing ideas out: Maybe this can work, let’s try this, what about this. Each different perspective helps us get us to a place where the staff as a whole agrees with what we’re doing.”
Yet, he cannot ignore his other duties. In order to mimic how most young players in the league are training, the Raptors’ kids who never would have played in a post-season game unless it was a blowout—think Delon Wright or Bruno Caboclo—have already started their summer regimens. Mahlalela is a big part of those programs, meaning his already-long days got longer and longer as April turned into May.
Since the Raptors’ playoff run ended, the Raptors’ coaching staff has undergone some changes. Jesse Mermuys, the Raptors’ D-League head coach with Raptors 905, is reportedly heading to Los Angeles to work on Luke Walton’s staff. Mahlalela will take over Mermuys’ role as the team’s coach at the Las Vegas Summer League, and he could replace Mermuys in Mississauga, as well. For now, he is still in his old title. In order to get a better sense of what a player development coach does during the course of the week, VICE Sports spent seven days in early March talking with Mahlalela.
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Player Review: Kyle Lowry | The Sports Quotient
Kyle Lowry is good, but the Raptors will need him to more-than-replicate his 2016 success if DeRozan does indeed leave Toronto. The team boasted the league’s fifth best offense and eleventh best defense this season. It is clear that Lowry is a capable offensive threat as long as he shakes the slump that plagued him during the playoffs. He will need to get his defense back on track as well, however, to be considered elite. During the regular season, Lowry had the third highest defensive real plus/minus amongst point guards at 1.81. That number plummeted to 1.0 in the playoffs, and is just another reason as to why the Raptors fell to the Cavs.
Lowry is the face of the Toronto Raptors, and must play like it. Losing in the Eastern Conference Finals is a heartbreak, but making it that far is a huge accomplishment in and of itself, especially for the Raptors who won only 49 games the season prior. If DeRozan leaves, Lowry will have his work cut out for him keeping the team relevant. If they keep the roster intact however, Lowry will have a lot to prove in next year’s playoffs and march to the Finals.
Toronto Raptors: How Terrence Ross Can Become the Boss | Tip of the Tower
Here is one place the 2013 Slam Dunk Champion is really capable of leveraging his athleticism. Much like J.J. Redick, he is so fast he can blur around his teammates and leave defenders multiple steps behind him.
This not only provides open looks for Ross, but the amazing speed also causes defenses to communicate for switches. While not difficult, getting the big man to switch out on pin down screens is an ordeal they aren’t going to be ready for.
The big man will more than likely be glued to his defender. This means it takes a lot of trust defensively to just leave your man to pick up another.
Ringing in 38.6 percent last year, those three-point shots will eventually cause defenders to cling to Ross’ hip when he makes his way around those screens. If the defender does somehow stick to his hip, it gives him a free run to the rim off the curl route for explosive and elegant finishes.
The harsh reality of why it’ll be Bye, Bye Biz around the Raptors soon | Toronto Star
He was a great story and a great guy and became something of a cult figure, with the big difference being he was a cult figure who could play, a total difference from so many in the history of Raptor cult figures.
You couldn’t find anyone who didn’t like Biz, with his gravelling voice and intriguing backstory and finger-wagging intensity.
But …
The stark reality, whether anyone wants to admit it or not, is that he’s not as good as the guy in front of him. Jonas Valanciunas is better, he’s bigger, he’s more advanced offensively, he’s the same age and vastly more experienced, and, in the harshest of realities, he’s got a $16 million commitment from the team already.
Those are undeniable facts that cannot be lost amid the fog of the past season, regardless of the breakthrough year Biyombo had.
Bennett joins Canadian National Team ahead of crucial summer | TSN
It’s not that he doesn’t work at his craft, it’s not like he’s lazy. On the contrary, in fact, he works very hard, but to resurrect his once promising career he’ll have to work smart. Last summer Triano had Bennett focusing on what he does best, what he’ll need to do best to carve out a role in the NBA: rebound, screen and defend. Like most players he gets into trouble when he tries to do more than he should. He’s too strong, too athletic to be settling for jump shots. He was once miscast as a first-overall pick, which isn’t his fault but, in many ways, that cloud still hangs over his head. He’s not a star. He won’t be a star, not in the NBA anyway, but there’s no reason why he can’t turn himself into a good, solid role player, assuming he wants to be.
Anthony Bennett rejoins Canadian men’s basketball team | Toronto Star
“His body composition has changed,” Triano said of the noticeably thinner Bennett. “Last year he couldn’t have practised like this the whole time, we had to play him in spurts and I thought today he was very good.”
Bennett declined to speak with reporters following his first workout with Canada and after his first appearance at the Air Canada Centre practice facility since being unceremoniously waived by the Raptors in February.
Trying to resurrect an NBA career that’s seen him leave three teams — Cleveland by trade, Minnesota after engineering a buyout and Toronto after being cut — the 23-year-old has had recent auditions with New York and Brooklyn, trying to at least cadge an invitation to an NBA training camp in the fall.
Triano said Canada Basketball was able to work out insurance concerns that allowed Bennett to take part in the final training camp practice before the team heads to Europe for a series of exhibition games starting Monday.
Bennett, who had shone at times for the national team in the past, is expected to play in the summer’s marquee event — a six-team, last-ditch Olympic qualification tournament early next month that Canada has to win to make it to the Rio Games.
“He was a big part of our team last summer, at the Pan Am Games he was outstanding, even in the (Mexico City Olympic) qualifier he was very good,” Triano said of Bennett. “It’s great to have him back here, another experienced guy.”
Raptors Player Review: Luis Scola, The Role Model | Raptors HQ
Role Next Season:
The 36-year-old Scola is set to hit free agency and likely will not be back in Raptors colours in 2016-17. He made just shy of $3 million this past season and could command a similar contract with the cap about to rise. Toronto should look to move on if he falls in that price range. Scola probably isn’t cracking the rotation of a true title-contending team, but would serve as an admirable fill-in for a handful of games should injury hit. He’s also a great guy to have around on the bench and in the locker room. If he can be had on the cheap, the Raptors could look to bring him back to play mentor.
Would you do a Carroll/Love swap? | Reddit
No, Love is overpaid and moving Carroll just opens up a hole. Would love to add Love though but the starting lineup would have to remain in tact for it to make sense.
2016 NBA Draft Needs: Atlantic Division | Upside and Motor
The Raptors positional needs depend heavily on the decision they make regarding DeMar Derozan this summer. Letting him walk in free agency — even with his flaws — would open a major hole, forcing the Raptors to search for players who can initiate offense from the wing. If that’s the route they take, Cal’s Jaylen Brown represents the highest upside option in the mid-lotto.
Otherwise, Toronto should be looking for frontcourt options to pair with budding center Jonas Valanciunas. Ellenson would provide nice floor spacing and open up room for DeRozan and Kyle Lowry to attack, while a player like Chriss would be the upside play, a defensible swing for the fences from a team trying to catch LeBron’s Cavaliers.
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