Community Shootaround

Community Shootaround: Cavaliers’ Offseason

August 5th, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

The Cavaliers made a major splash last summer, trading for star guard Donovan Mitchell after an impressive turnaround in 2021/22. Mitchell made his first All-NBA appearance in ’22/23 following an excellent all-around year, but Cleveland — which went 51-31 during the regular season and entered the playoffs as the East’s No. 4 seed — had an early postseason exit, falling to the Knicks in a rather lopsided first-round series.

In addition to experience, the Cavaliers needed to find more shooting, depth and perhaps most importantly a good fit at small forward entering ’23/24. The team prioritized re-signing free agent swignman Caris LeVert as well, giving him a two-year, $32MM contract.

As an over-the-cap team, the Cavs didn’t have a ton of money to spend on free agents this offseason, and they only held one pick in June’s draft — 49th overall — which they used on former Eastern Michigan wing Emoni Bates, later signing him to a two-way contract. They also quickly reached an agreement to sign undrafted guard Craig Porter Jr. to a two-way deal and filled their third two-way slot by re-signing Isaiah Mobley.

In free agency, the Cavaliers took advantage of the new CBA’s more lenient salary-matching rules for non-taxpaying teams to give former Heat wing Max Strus more money than he previously would have been eligible for based on the outgoing salaries involved in the sign-and-trade to land him. They also gave forward Georges Niang a significant chunk of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception and used a portion of their bi-annual exception on guard Ty Jerome.

As our roster count shows, the Cavs still have a couple of standard roster spots open, but will almost certainly only add one more player to their main roster due to their proximity to the luxury tax. All three two-way slots are filled, as previously mentioned. Eventually, they’ll add some players on Exhibit 10 training camp deals to fill out their G League team.

Here’s a more condensed rundown of their offseason moves:

Roster additions:

Strus (four-year, $62.3MM contract via sign-and-trade)
Niang (three-year, $26MM deal)
Jerome (two-year, $5MM deal)
Damian Jones (via trade for cash)
Bates
Porter
Pete Nance (Exhibit 10 deal; not official)

Subtractions:

Cedi Osman (traded to Spurs in Strus deal)
Lamar Stevens (same as Osman, except Stevens was released before his contract became guaranteed and is currently an unrestricted free agent; he’s ineligible to re-sign with Cleveland)
Dylan Windler (joined Knicks on two-way deal)
Robin Lopez (signed with Bucks)
Raul Neto (signed with Turkish club Fenerbahce)

Danny Green and Mamadi Diakite (two-way) remain unrestricted free agents.

It’s worth noting that Ricky Rubio, who returned to action last season following a torn ACL, recently announced that he was taking a break from basketball to focus on his mental health. It’s unclear how that will affect the veteran guard’s status entering next season.

We want to know what you think. Did the Cavs improve this summer? Will they advance past the first round of the playoffs in 2023/24, assuming they make it in? Head to the comments and share your thoughts on Cleveland’s offseason.

Community Shootaround: Which Non-Heat Team Should Pursue Lillard?

August 2nd, 2023 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

We’re now more than a month removed from Damian Lillard‘s trade request, which he submitted on July 1, and the Trail Blazers don’t appear to be much closer to moving the star guard today than they were at that time.

Lillard’s insistence that he only wants to play for the Heat has limited his market, as have the four years and $216MM left on his contract, which has reportedly made teams wary about giving up a significant package for him.

The Blazers are essentially stuck at an impasse, apparently “disinclined” to seriously engage with the Heat but also without any other viable options available to them for the time being, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during an NBA Today appearance on Tuesday (YouTube link).

“As I look across the league and have conversations with executives and agents, I can’t identify another team that is seriously making an offer for Dame Lillard at this point,” Windhorst said. “And so my belief is that the Heat can’t either.

“And so while people can look at what the Heat’s offer might be and scoff at it, if their offer is the only one on the table, it therefore is the best one on the table. And the fact that Portland isn’t going forward with anything is a verification of that, that they don’t have another offer. So, very low incentive for the Heat to improve their offer at this point, and no incentive really right now for Portland to take that offer. And we have a stare-down.”

As ESPN’s Windhorst and Adrian Wojnarowski have said, and as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald reiterates, Miami has no desire to bid against itself in an effort to bring Portland back to the negotiating table, but remains hopeful that the Blazers will be willing to reopen those conversations at some point in the coming weeks.

A veteran assistant coach who spoke to Jackson suggests that the Heat and Blazers both have some incentive to try to get something done before the regular season begins. If Miami is going to acquire Lillard, the assistant observes, the team would prefer to do it sooner rather than later in order to begin establishing chemistry with its new-look roster following the loss of guards Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. Portland, meanwhile, would presumably like to have a clean slate to begin the 2023/24 season rather than keeping a disgruntled star on the roster and remaining in a holding pattern.

The clearest way for the negotiations to move forward would be for a second suitor besides the Heat to emerge as a serious contender for Lillard. Even if the Blazers don’t ultimately make a deal with that non-Heat team, the presence of another bidder could help push Miami to increase its offer to the point that Portland would be more willing to seriously consider it.

So our Community Shootaround question for today is this: Which non-Heat team makes the most sense as a suitor for Lillard?

The team would presumably have to meet a few criteria.

It would need to have the young player(s) and/or draft picks necessary to put together a strong offer for Lillard, as well as a strong enough core to seriously contend for a title after giving up several assets to land the veteran guard.

It would need to be comfortable with the idea of paying Lillard $60MM+ per year in 2025/26 and ’26/27.

And it would need to be confident in its leaders and culture to sell the seven-time All-Star on embracing a new NBA home somewhere besides Miami.

What do you think? Which non-Heat team is the best bet – or the most logical candidate – to emerge as a contender for Lillard? Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Community Shootaround: NBA’s 2023/24 Hierarchy

August 1st, 2023 at 12:37pm CST by Tristan Tucker

With free agency winding down, we have a clearer idea of what teams are going to look like for the 2023/24 season. Of course, there is still plenty of time between now and the start of training camps in late September, but many teams seem to be nearly regular-season-ready.

A clearer idea of what next season’s rosters will look like means a consensus should start to emerge on where teams stand in the NBA’s pecking order. However, it appears as though most teams in the league are trending toward building for the playoffs. Only a handful of clubs look like they’re planning on prioritizing youth development over a 2024 playoff appearance.

The Wizards sent off former franchise mainstay Bradley Beal this summer in the first of what became a series of deals that look to have Washington resetting its roster. Players like re-signed forward Kyle Kuzma and new additions Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones could keep Washington competitive, but the franchise lacks an All-Star to build around.

Teams like Detroit, San Antonio, Charlotte and Orlando are built around young cores, but there’s a sense that all four franchises will improve on their previous seasons.

Of course, the elephants in the room are the potential Damian Lillard and James Harden deals that would shake up the league’s hierarchy.

If Portland sends out Lillard, it likely means the franchise is planning for an all-out rebuild. However, the Trail Blazers were a competitive team for much of last season and, if they convince Lillard to stay, they could talk themselves into being a playoff contender. On the other hand, if Lillard ended up in Miami, his preferred destination, it would likely place the Heat among the top two or three teams in the Eastern Conference. The Heat are fresh off an NBA Finals appearance but lost veteran starters Gabe Vincent and Max Strus to free agency.

As for a potential Harden trade, the Clippers are the reported frontrunner for Harden is he’s dealt. Adding Harden likely moves the Clippers into the upper echelon of the Western Conference, though they’re a probable playoff team as is. Same goes for the Sixers. With or without Harden, Philadelphia likely sees itself in the playoffs.

The implementation of the Play-In Tournament means teams are more incentivized than ever to be competitive, especially after a play-in team in Miami made the Finals last year. Teams like Utah, Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Indiana, Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto and Brooklyn seem like they could go either way. For example, the Rockets committed significant money to win-now pieces like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks in free agency but still have several young players to develop.

Then there are the teams at the top. The Suns added Beal to a star-studded core but turned over a huge chunk of their roster and may lack continuity. The Nuggets are in good position to win the conference again but lost Bruce Brown in free agency. The Celtics added Kristaps Porzingis but shipped out Marcus Smart. The Bucks re-signed Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez but lost in the first round last year.

Beyond the obvious names, the Knicks and Cavaliers appear to have made on-paper improvements while the Lakers, Grizzlies, Kings and Warriors could pop out in the West.

Despite knowing what rosters will look like for the most part, there seems to be plenty of variability between every team in each conference.

That leads us to our Community Shootaround discussion topic of the day: Which teams in each conference do you consider the best bets to make the postseason? Which surprise teams will make the playoffs? Who do you think will come out of each conference on top?

Let us know what you think by taking to the comments of this post.

Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Offseason

July 30th, 2023 at 7:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks, buoyed by the free agent acquisition of Jalen Brunson, had one of their best seasons in the last two decades. They won 47 regular season games, defeated Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs and lost to eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Now, the plan is to keep the momentum going into next season. Compared to last summer, the Knicks have had a relatively quiet offseason.

Perhaps the biggest offseason development was Josh Hart picking up his player option of $12.9MM, a somewhat surprising move that kept the valuable contributor off the market. He could eventually sign a lucrative extension.

The biggest offseason acquisition was guard Donte DiVincenzo, another all-around stat stuffer who was signed to a four-year deal via the mid-level exception.

New York also resolved the Obi Toppin dilemma by dealing him to Indiana. The former lottery pick could get more playing time with the Pacers after getting stuck behind Julius Randle in the Knicks’ pecking order.

DiVincenzo is a nice rotation pickup but not the star that some fans are hoping the front office will add. While the Knicks have been linked to some big names in recent months — Zach LaVine, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, among others — it appears the Knicks are content to run it back with a couple of tweaks.

Still, it’s tough to think the Knicks are done, if only because Evan Fournier is still on the roster. He’s essentially on an expiring contract, considering his $19MM salary for 2024/25 includes a club option. Fournier has no future in New York and expects to be off the roster before opening night.

The leads us to today’s topic: What do you think of the Knicks’ offseason thus far? Are they good enough to contend for the Eastern Conference title or should they make a big move to improve their chances?

Take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Most Underrated Available Free Agent

July 29th, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Nearly a full month into free agency, the number of impact free agents is dwindling by the day. Veterans like P.J. Washington, Christian Wood and Kelly Oubre are among the most notable players still on the market — they would be fits for most contenders and have each been linked to numerous teams. However, beyond the big names, there are several free agents who made positive impacts on their respective clubs and likely wouldn’t cost much.

Some available free agents include players who began the offseason on teams but were cut, either for financial or fit reasons, including Edmond Sumner, Trendon Watford and Lamar Stevens. Sumner and Stevens are the players with the most NBA experience out of this group, holding 161 and 165 games of experience respectively. Sumner averaged 7.1 points for the Nets last year after missing the 2021/22 season with an Achilles injury while Stevens went undrafted in 2020 but evolved into a key rotation player for the Cavaliers, averaging 5.3 points in three seasons there and making 38 starts.

Watford, on the other hand, has appeared in 110 NBA games after going undrafted in 2021. While he flew under the radar as a member of retooling Trail Blazers squads, he showed quite a bit of promise in two seasons in Portland, so it was somewhat surprising to see him go. Watford averaged 7.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in two seasons in Portland.

Then there are other free agents who have outright gone unsigned to this point. As we wrote yesterday, Derrick Jones Jr. is the only player who is still available after turning down an option for 2023/24. Jones is a high-flying forward who is still just 26 years old despite holding seven years of NBA experience.

Javonte Green is another Bulls free agent who could appeal to teams. Green has 186 games of NBA experience and started in 45 of his 65 appearances in ’21/22 for the Bulls. Meanwhile, Hamidou Diallo is another high-flying athlete who remains available after averaging 8.6 points across 263 career appearances in Oklahoma City and Detroit. He will be just 25 when the season begins.

Other available relatively young players who have proven themselves in past NBA seasons include Kendrick Nunn, who averaged 15.0 points in two seasons with Miami, Jaylen Nowell, who has reportedly drawn interest from the Mavericks, and Terence Davis, who averaged 10.4 points for Sacramento in ’21/22.

Regardless of what teams are looking for, there remain a plethora of options. If clubs are looking to fill out their rosters with veterans, players like George Hill, Will Barton, Danny Green, Ish Smith, JaMychal Green, Terrence Ross and T.J. Warren are available. If teams are looking for high-upside options, guys like Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, Justise Winslow and Romeo Langford are available as former lottery picks who are all 27 or younger. Other guys who flew under the radar last season but impressed in brief stints include Lindy Waters, Jeenathan Williams and Skylar Mays.

Lastly, teams aren’t limited to guys who finished last season on NBA teams. Players like Lance Stephenson and Glenn Robinson III are reportedly seeking NBA comebacks. Ben McLemore, Dion Waiters and Stanley Johnson are some of the other players who fit this bill as guys who either worked out for teams or could hold some appeal as options to fill the bench.

That brings us to our Community Shootaround question(s) of the day: Who do you think is the most overlooked player who is still available in free agency? What teams do you think should sign these players? Is there anyone we missed?

Let us know what you think by sharing your thoughts in the comments section. We look forward to hearing what you think.

Community Shootaround: Rockets Or Spurs?

July 23rd, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets and Spurs finished on even terms last season. They tied for the worst record in the Western Conference at 22-60 apiece.

San Antonio’s plunge in the standings proved worthwhile in the long run as they landed the top pick in the draft. Generational talent Victor Wembanyama has instantly energized and revived the franchise and he’ll be the most closely watched rookie in many years.

The Spurs had one of the worst defenses in league history last season, as they gave up an average of 123.1 points and allowed opponents to shoot 50.7 percent. The 7’5”’ Wembanyama still needs to fill out physically but he’ll provide a fearsome shot-blocking and shot-altering presence. He’ll be developed by Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich.

San Antonio returns its starters at every other position, led by leading scorer Keldon Johnson (22 points per game). Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell and Tre Jones fill out the rest of the lineup. The Spurs used their cap space to acquire a number of quality reserves in trades, including Cameron Payne, Reggie Bullock and Cedi Osman.

The Rockets slipped to the No. 4 in the draft and selected guard Amen Thompson. That didn’t stop them from making arguably the biggest splash on the free agent market, handing Fred VanVleet a three-year, $128.5MM contract. The former Raptors point man will become the floor leader, while controversial veteran Dillon Brooks also got a chunk of money in free agency to fortify the team’s small forward spot.

They join an otherwise young but intriguing roster, including Jalen Green, Jabari Smith and Alperen Sengun. Smith and rookie Cam Whitmore were two of the biggest standouts in the Summer League.

Houston also hired Ime Udoka as head coach and he’ll look to make the team more accountable on the defensive end. The Rockets had the second-to-worst defense in the West.

That leads us to our questions of the day: Which of the Texas teams that finished at the bottom of the Western Conference standings last season — the Spurs or Rockets — will win more games next season?

Please share your thoughts on this topic in the comments section. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Free Agency Winners & Losers

July 3rd, 2023 at 10:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Provisions in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement were designed to make teams more fiscally prudent, but it seemed like business as usual when the NBA’s annual free agent frenzy began on Friday.

Jerami Grant received $160MM from the Trail Blazers, Fred VanVleet got more than $128MM from the Rockets and Kyrie Irving accepted $126MM to stay with the Mavericks — and that was all within the first few hours of free agency. Seven nine-figure deals have been handed out already, as it appears some teams aren’t giving a second thought to the second apron.

Grant has been the biggest winner so far, benefiting from Portland’s desire to make bold moves to keep Damian Lillard from leaving town. Although Lillard asked for a trade the next morning anyway, Grant still wound up with a new five-year deal that makes him this year’s highest-paid free agent. The 29-year-old forward turned down a four-year, $113MM extension offer during the season and was able to cash in with a significant offer from the desperate Blazers.

VanVleet was the target of a bidding war between the Raptors, who were hoping to hold onto one of their franchise cornerstones, and the Rockets, who were armed with more than $60MM in cap space and were seeking an experienced point guard to run the offense for new head coach Ime Udoka. Toronto officials reportedly sweetened their offer to VanVleet by adding an extra season at a meeting Friday night, but Houston was willing to do the same, giving VanVleet a new deal that averages nearly $43MM per year.

Irving remained with the Mavericks, who weren’t dissuaded by the lack of success that he and Luka Doncic had together after they were united in a February trade. Irving had disputed interest from other teams, but it turns out that he didn’t need a strong outside suitor to convince the Mavs to open their checkbook.

Also reaching the $100MM mark were Nets forward Cameron Johnson (four years, $108MM), Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (four years, $102MM), Bucks forward Khris Middleton (three years, $102MM) and Warriors forward Draymond Green (four years, $100MM). They were part of a noticeable trend, as most prominent free agents re-signed with their current teams.

Among those who didn’t was Dillon Brooks, who got probably the most surprising contract of the weekend when the Rockets agreed to pay him $80MM for four years in a sign-and-trade deal with Memphis. Brooks’ reputation suffered after a confrontation with LeBron James in the playoffs and a report that the Grizzlies wouldn’t re-sign him “under any circumstances,” but he was a second team All-Defensive selection and is an easy fit for a Houston team that needs to upgrade its defense.

Other notable free agents who changed teams include Bruce Brown, who left the champion Nuggets for a two-year, $45MM offer from the Pacers; Max Strus, who reached the NBA Finals with the Heat and will be counted on to bring some outside shooting to the Cavaliers; his backcourt partner, Gabe Vincent, who left Miami for the Lakers; and Donte DiVincenzo, who will join his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on the Knicks.

We want to get your input. Which teams have used their cap room wisely so far in free agency and who has spent foolishly? Give us your votes for the best and worst contracts as well.

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Community Shootaround: Porzingis To Celtics

June 25th, 2023 at 9:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

For many teams, the biggest offseason move has yet to be made. Free agency is approaching and some big-name players could still be dealt.

In the Celtics’ case, the major acquisition this offseason has seemingly already taken place. The three-team deal for Kristaps Porzingis was a bold and risky move by a storied franchise seeking its first championship since 2008.

Porzingis changes the dynamic of the Celtics’ frontcourt. The oft-injured 7’3’’ big man played 65 games for the Wizards – his most since the 2016/17 season – and regained his All-Star form. He averaged a career-high 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 blocks. He also drained 38.5% of his 3-point attempts.

Porzingis could play either power forward or center, depending upon how Joe Mazzulla wants to match up with the opposition. He might play alongside Robert Williams or Al Horford, assuming another trade isn’t made, with Jayson Tatum at small forward and Jaylen Brown at shooting guard in bigger lineups.

Alternatively, he could man the middle with Tatum and Brown playing the forward spots.

Of course, there was a price to pay for Porzingis. He opted into his $36MM contract and the Celtics are reportedly looking to sign him to extension.

That would give them three giants salary commitments with Porzingis, Tatum and Brown eating up significant cap space.

It’s unlikely Porzingis will match his offensive numbers from last season with Tatum and Brown in the lineup. However, he’ll give the Celtics a much more potent option compared to the aging Horford and defensive-minded Williams. He’ll also give the Celtics a lot more size defensively to combat Eastern Conference rivals Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Giving up Marcus Smart was a calculated risk just one season removed from being the Defensive Player of the Year. Smart’s toughness and leadership will be missed and the perimeter defense could suffer without him.

Derrick White figures to take a bigger role and they’ll have to hope Malcolm Brogdon’s elbow injury won’t require surgery. Payton Pritchard should also get the playing time he craves.

That brings us to our topic of the day: What do you think of the Celtics’ acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis? Will it make them the team to beat in the Eastern Conference or will they regret trading Marcus Smart for the oft-injured big man?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Nurse As Sixers’ Head Coach

May 29th, 2023 at 7:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Well, this ought to be interesting.

The Sixers are hiring former Raptors coach Nick Nurse as their head coach. Nurse and Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid will now pair together as the franchise looks to bring Philadelphia a long-awaited championship. The Sixers’ drought has reached 40 years and counting.

They have a history together as playoff foes. Toronto broke Philly’s hearts in the 2019 playoffs with Kawhi Leonard‘s basket that bounced four times on the rim proving to be the dagger. The Sixers had the KO punch last year during the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Nurse will also inherit a very talented young guard in Tyrese Maxey but the rest of the roster is in a state of flux. The Sixers could look to unload Tobias Harris, who is entering the final year of his contract. The bench figures to be revamped too, but the biggest offseason question is whether James Harden will decline his player option. Rumors have persisted for months that Harden wants to return to Houston.

Despite delivering a championship to the Raptors franchise, Nurse had a falling out with the front office. They felt he didn’t develop their bench players sufficiently and overworked his starters. There were also questions about accountability and his relationships with key players.

A fresh start for a talented coach could be the Sixers’ gain. That championship on his resume gives him immediate credibility.

It could also attract a top free agent such as Fred VanVleet, who tweeted out congratulations via an emoji after he heard the news. VanVleet is expected to decline his player option so that he can enter the free agent market. He could be Harden’s replacement.

That brings us to our topic of the day: What do you think of Nick Nurse taking over as the Sixers’ head coach? Did the franchise make the right choice and do you feel Nurse can bring the franchise a long-awaited championship?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Community Shootaround: Raptors’ Offseason

May 28th, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Raptors find themselves at a significant crossroads this offseason, with a variety of decisions to make about the direction of their roster in the short- and long-term.

Toronto’s first priority, of course, is finding a new head coach. The club let Nick Nurse go after a five-year run, during which he led the franchise to its first-ever NBA title in 2019. He was named the league’s Coach of the Year in 2020.

More recently, the team finished the 2022/23 season with a 41-41 record and the ninth seed in the East. The Raptors were quickly ousted from the postseason by the Bulls in a play-in game.

Toronto has already interviewed several candidates for the opening, and is pondering several others, per our tracker. The Raptors have spoken with – or is expected to talk to – Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez, Suns assistant Kevin Young, Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson, Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajakovic, former Nets head coach Steve Nash, Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Nuggets assistant David Adelman, player-turned-ESPN analyst JJ Redick, and Virtus Bologna head coach Sergio Scariolo.

Toronto has also been linked to former Suns head coach Monty Williams, Williams’ former Phoenix assistant Patrick Mutombo, and Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse. While the club had informal conversations with Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon, it is unlikely Hammon is ready to move on from her current gig just yet. The Raptors also spoke with Nurse’s former assistant coach, Adrian Griffin, though it has been reported that the Bucks plan to hire Griffin as their new head coach.

Nurse, meanwhile, is currently in the running to fill the head coaching vacancies of the Sixers or Suns.

At present, the Raptors are still fielding several veteran players from their championship run, including All-Star power forward Pascal Siakam, 2022 All-Star point guard Fred VanVleet, and 3-and-D swingman OG Anunoby. The team’s most important player, however, might be 2022 Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, who regressed a bit during his sophomore season. The 6’9″ forward out of Florida State didn’t evolve much as a ball-handler or scorer this year, while his defense plateaued.

In terms of potential free agents, center Jakob Poeltl will be unrestricted, while guards VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. both have player options for next season. Veteran reserve forward Thaddeus Young, who averaged just 14.7 MPG off the bench this year, has an $8MM contract for next season that is only partially guaranteed for $1MM. The direction the Raptors ultimately opt to take could dictate what the team decides to do with Young’s money, though he probably wouldn’t command nearly that much coin in free agency at this point.

Given that the NBA is poised to have a fairly light free agent class, especially in terms of guards, both VanVleet and Trent seem to be in line for lucrative new deals somewhere. VanVleet’s option for next season is worth $22.8MM, while Trent’s would pay a guaranteed $18.6MM, plus $250K in unlikely contract incentives. As an experienced championship playmaker in his NBA prime, VanVleet should have a robust market, while Trent is a solid veteran floor spacer. Would Toronto want to re-sign both players to new long-term contracts, or try to coordinate sign-and-trades for one or both?

The 29-year-old Siakam is in the final season of a four-year, $136.9MM maximum extension he signed with Toronto during the 2020 offseason, and is now eligible for his next extension.

Should Toronto opt to ultimately rebuild its roster and prioritize its youth, it would find plenty of suitors for the contracts of Siakam and Anunoby.

The Raptors have a late lottery pick, No. 13 in this year’s draft, at their disposal, with which team president Masai Ujiri can add more young talent under long-term team control. A deal to offload Siakam or Anunoby, or perhaps VanVleet in a sign-and-trade, could probably get Toronto an even better lottery selection this year.

Trying to simultaneously compete with veterans while also developing youth, in the form of Barnes and this new lottery pick, is a difficult line to thread. The Warriors have found some some success with their “two timelines” approach, though several of their young role players failed to take next steps in their growth this season. Toronto obviously has had mixed success thus far in this department. Would the club be open to trying again?

We want to know what you think. What should the Raptors do this offseason? Which head coach among their finalists should they hire? Should they build around Siakam and/or Barnes? Head to the comments section to share your thoughts.

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