SUNDAY: The signing is now official, the team announced via press release.
TUESDAY: The Raptors and Lucas Nogueira will buy out his contract with Estudiantes of Spain, as Javier Maestro of Encestando.es reports (translation via Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). Toronto is expected to pay most of the roughly $800K the NBA release clause requires. The maximum Toronto is allowed to pay is $600K, and Nogueira will cover the rest.
The Raptors acquired the rights to Nogueira, the No. 16 pick from the 2013 draft, in a trade with the Hawks last month. Toronto was known to be planning on bringing the Brazilian big man to the NBA this season. He will still be bound by the rookie scale, so his salary will likely start at over $1.75MM.
Nogueira, a center, is expected to join forward Bruno Caboclo as Brazilian additions to the Raptors this season, but Nogueira likely has a clearer path to playing time than Caboclo, the 20th overall selection from this year’s draft. The 7’0″ Nogueira will join a roster featuring only a single true center in Jonas Valanciunas, and Toronto is also open to dealing away forward/center combo Chuck Hayes.
Is caboclo going to play for the raptors this season or not?
He’ll be with the team, but likely won’t see much playing time this year
He probably spend alot of time in the D-League
Gonna have some trouble if J.V. Continues to have foul trouble issues.
I agree, he is a very high risk, high reward player
What? How is he (Nogueira) “high risk”? He’s getting paid only 1.75 mil.
Not nogueria, J.V
It may be aiming low, but Chuck Hayes at least gives Casey 6 fouls, and no dumb plays.
Nogueira looked REALLY raw to me in Vegas.
Chuck Hayes does not really inspire me. He may be a great guy in the locker room, but that does not put up points on the boards!
Think they need more than “six fouls to give” if they want to contend. If J.V. gets in foul trouble early they need someone who can score and rebound and not just be there for 6 fouls.