Jeff Dowtin Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Dowtin, Raptors, Simmons, Harden-Doc

May 18th, 2023 at 11:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Raptors reserve point guard Jeff Dowtin underwent surgery on his right ankle, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link). Lewenberg adds that Dowtin will be in a walking boot for about two weeks, and will recuperate under the supervision of the Raptors’ medical staff over the summer.

Signed to a two-way deal with Toronto, Dowtin appeared in 25 games for the club, averaging 10.4 MPG. With the Raptors’ NBAGL affiliate, he averaged 16.9 PPG, 6.1 APG, 4.2 RPG and 1.7 SPG.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors have the No. 13 pick in this summer’s upcoming draft. Eric Koreen of The Athletic speculates about how Toronto will handle the draft selection. Koreen is fairly confident that the Raptors will hold on to the lottery pick to add a solid young player, rather than trading it.
Nets guard Ben Simmons has moved on to the next phase of his rehabilitation from the nerve impingement that ended his 2022/23 season, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “Ben has been cleared to progress to his next stage of his rehab and is progressing really well,” his agent Bernie Lee told Lewis this week. “And we remain very excited about his ability to return to form next year.”
Sixers point guard James Harden has been pinpointed by Doc Rivers staffers as a key behind-the-scenes factor in the ex-head coach’s departure from the team, sources inform Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Fischer cautions (Twitter link) that any possible Harden influence in the choice to move on from Rivers would have been one of several elements impacting that decision.

Raptors’ Ujiri Talks Season, Decision To Fire Nurse, More

April 21st, 2023 at 9:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri spoke to the media on Friday following the dismissal of head coach Nick Nurse.

While Ujiri didn’t give a concrete reason as to why he felt it was time to go in a different direction, he said that “complacency” and “selfishness” were season-long problems for the team, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Ujiri also said he didn’t enjoy watching the Raptors play in 2022/23.

“You could see it throughout the year. There was never that full excitement. There was never that full spirit,” said Ujiri. “There was never that (feeling) of togetherness. We all saw it. You all saw it. It’s not something we are making up here… It’s not one person or one finger to point. I’m not pointing the finger at Nick. I have to take responsibility for this, too. As the leader of this organization, I will do that. It wasn’t us. This year wasn’t us. I think everybody saw that.”

Another factor in the decision was Nurse’s reluctance to play young bench players, Grange notes. Ujiri still believes there’s talent among the group, but they weren’t given much of an opportunity to learn on the go.

“…All the young players we have, I think one of the things we talked about was maybe utilizing some of these players a little bit more,” said Ujiri. “Like giving them room to actually show if they have or if they don’t have (it). I think we didn’t do so well with that this year. I think that hurt us some in developing our young players.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

There were other internal issues as well. A rival assistant coach tells Grange that Toronto’s coaching staff was known as being “less than cohesive.” Grange suggests “sweeping changes” to Nurse’s staff were likely even if he had kept his job. That aligns with reporting from Doug Smith of The Toronto Star (Twitter link), who hears from league sources that the Raptors have been interviewing potential assistant coaches this week in anticipation of a “mass exodus.”
Nurse was also reluctant to be the “bad guy” at times. A player tells Grange that Ujiri was often the one responsible for speaking to the team after listless performances this season, not Nurse.
Still, Nurse likely won’t have any issues finding a new head coaching job, and the poor results in 2022/23 don’t fall solely on him. “If he wants a job, he’ll get a job,” a rival general manager told Grange.
Ujiri believes more changes are necessary to get the team heading in the right direction, and that starts with himself, per John Chidley-Hill of The Canadian Press (link via The Toronto Star). “Look at the roster maybe in a different way. We have to figure out shooting on this roster in some kind of way. We have to figure out who fits and who doesn’t fit,” said Ujiri. “On the overall, maybe manage people better. Maybe see things a little bit deeper because when we hire people I let them do their jobs. That’s been a strength of ours the last 10 years here but I pay attention now a little bit more.”
Ujiri praised trade deadline acquisition Jakob Poeltl, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. Ujiri referred to Poeltl as a top-10 center in the NBA and believes his high basketball IQ and playing style make him a “championship piece,” per Murphy.
The longtime president expects forward Otto Porter Jr. to return next season — he holds a $6.3MM player option for 2023/24, according to Grange (Twitter link). Ujiri also said the Raptors plan to hang on to two-way guard Jeff Dowtin despite not converting his contract to a standard deal at the end of ’22/23.
As for being linked to the Wizards‘ new front office vacancy following the dismissal of Tommy Sheppard, Ujiri says he’s not going anywhere. “I’m going to be right here, [Toronto],” he said (Twitter link via Grange). As Grange notes, Ujiri still has three years remaining on his contract.

Raptors Will Not Convert Jeff Dowtin’s Two-Way Deal

April 6th, 2023 at 3:54pm CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors will not convert Jeff Dowtin‘s two-way contract into a standard deal, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter links), who reported earlier on Thursday that he didn’t sense any momentum on the guard getting a promotion.

Dowtin, who gained head coach Nick Nurse‘s trust recently by appearing in seven straight games, reached the 50-game limit on Tuesday for which a two-way player can be active for NBA games. Since his contract won’t be converted, Dowtin will be ineligible for Toronto’s remaining regular season and postseason games.

The second-year guard is officially listed as out for Friday’s matchup in Boston, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). In a Twitter thread, Murphy points out that Dowtin will be a restricted free agent this summer if the Raptors extend him a qualifying offer, and the fact that so many people wanted a two-way player to be converted — even a solid one — is a reflection of the team’s lack of development and depth.

Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca is confused as to what more Dowtin could have done to be converted, as he’s played well in an area of need and promoting him wouldn’t push the team into the luxury tax (Twitter links). The Raptors were once known for their strong player development, but Lewenberg says that area has become a “crippling weakness” for the team of late.

Raptors Notes: VanVleet, Dowtin, Nurse, Siakam

April 6th, 2023 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report (YouTube video link), Raptors guard Fred VanVleet admitted that being involved in so many trade rumors leading up to February’s deadline was a new experience for him, but said he wasn’t overly concerned about those reports because the team has always communicated well with him.

“I have such a great relationship with management and ownership, like it’s really a family thing,” VanVleet said (Twitter video link via Oren Weisfeld). “Even when all the outside noise was going on, there was really no talk behind the scenes, at least with me and them, like, ‘Hey, we might move you.’ Teams were calling, of course. There’s a lot of teams that could use me, that feel like I would take them over the hump to win a championship. Especially this year.”

VanVleet will become an unrestricted free agent this July if he turns down his 2023/24 player option, as expected. However, while it’s possible he’ll explore the open market, the veteran guard doesn’t sound like a player eager to move on from his current team.

“I’m very grateful for my situation,” VanVleet said. “This franchise gave me a chance. I’m in the NBA because they believed in me, and that’s something that I don’t take for granted, I don’t take lightly.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Toronto expects to make a decision on Thursday afternoon about whether or not to promote two-way player Jeff Dowtin to the 15-man roster, head coach Nick Nurse said on Wednesday (Twitter link via Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca). Nurse added he’ll meet with general manager Bobby Webster to discuss the decision.
In a column for Sportsnet.ca, Grange argues that the Dowtin situation seems to expose a gulf between Nurse and Raptors management. Meanwhile, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca tweets that it would be a bad look for the organization if Dowtin’s solid play on his two-way deal isn’t rewarded with a promotion.
Eric Koreen of The Athletic considers Pascal Siakam‘s case for All-NBA honors, noting that the standout forward would become eligible for a super-max extension if he’s named to one of the All-NBA teams this spring. Siakam’s numbers (24.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 5.9 APG) are certainly All-NBA caliber, but the Raptors’ underwhelming record may hurt his case, Koreen observes.
In a separate story for The Athletic, Koreen contends that the Raptors’ organization lacks consistency in its performance and philosophy, from the front office on down to the players. Koreen suggests the decision not to convert Dowtin’s contract in time for a big game on Wednesday was an odd one, given that the team could have used him in its loss to Boston.

Raptors May Convert Jeff Dowtin’s Contract

April 5th, 2023 at 7:38am CST by Dana Gauruder

APRIL 5, 7:38am: There’s no guarantee Dowtin will be promoted from his two-way contract, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who says the team is “loath” to waive a player from its standard 15-man roster.

Grange, cautioning that a decision may not be finalized on Wednesday, believes the most likely outcome would see Toronto sticking with its current group.

APRIL 4, 10:50pm: The Raptors will have to give two-way guard Jeff Dowtin a standard contract if they want to keep playing him for the remainder of the regular season and the play-in tournament, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets.

Dowtin reached the 50-game limit on Tuesday for which a two-way player can be active for NBA games in a season. Lewenberg anticipates Dowtin’s contract will be converted on Wednesday, prior to the first of two road games at Boston. The Raptors need to waive another player to make that happen, with Joe Wieskamp looking like the probable odd man out.

Dowtin played 12 minutes in Toronto’s win over Charlotte. He logged 10 minutes against the Hornets on Sunday and dished out four assists.

Overall, Dowtin has appeared in 24 games, averaging 2.5 points and 1.3 assists in 10.3 minutes per night.

Wieskamp has made six cameo appearances with the Raptors this season. He was signed to a multiyear deal in February but the contract was not guaranteed beyond this season.

Raptors Notes: Dowtin, Barnes, Trent, Barton

March 29th, 2023 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

Point guard Jeff Dowtin, who is on a two-way contract with the Raptors, has seen regular playing time as Fred VanVleet‘s backup in the team’s last three games, logging 20.4 minutes per night during that stretch. Dowtin’s numbers (4.7 PPG, 3.0 APG, .417/.400/.667 shooting) are relatively modest, but Toronto has played better this season when he sees at least 10 minutes of action, notes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

“I think he’s played for us well just about every time he’s gone out there,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “We’re always talking about solid play, which is guarding your position as well as you can and executing at both ends of the floor. He’s got us running stuff and is capable of scoring a little bit as well on his own but doesn’t overdo it. He just fits in nicely there on both ends.”

Unfortunately for Toronto, Dowtin only has three games of eligibility left on his two-way deal. If the Raptors want to make him eligible to play in the rest of their regular season games and potential play-in and playoff contests, they’ll have to promote him to their 15-man roster by converting him to a standard contract.

The team doesn’t currently have an open spot on its 15-man squad, but Grange believes that Joe Wieskamp and Thaddeus Young are candidates to be cut in the event of a Dowtin promotion. Toronto is very close to the luxury tax line, but should be able to stay out of tax territory even after converting Dowtin’s contract, since a prorated minimum-salary cap hit this late in the season is minuscule.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

With several key players headed for free agency this summer, Eric Koreen of The Athletic observes that the Raptors could use some low-cost contributors off the bench and suggests that Dowtin may be a fit on the roster beyond this season.
In a separate article for The Athletic, Koreen says that the ongoing development of Scottie Barnes needs to remain a top priority for the Raptors, since Barnes’ ceiling may go a long way to determining the club’s ceiling in the next few years.
Raptors wing Gary Trent Jr. has missed the last four games due to what the team is referring to as right elbow stiffness. Nurse said on Tuesday that Trent, who was originally listed as doubtful for yesterday’s game vs. Miami, is “getting closer,” according to Grange (Twitter link).
Another wing, Will Barton, also missed Tuesday’s game due to a sprained left ankle, but Nurse doesn’t believe that injury is serious or will keep him out long, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

Raptors Sign Jeff Dowtin To Two-Way Deal

July 19th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

4:00pm: The Raptors have officially signed Dowtin to a two-way contract, the team confirmed in a press release.

12:46pm: Free agent guard Jeff Dowtin will sign a two-way contract with the Raptors, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Dowtin is coming off a strong Summer League performance with Toronto, averaging 16.0 PPG while shooting 57.1% from the field in four games in Las Vegas.

The 25-year-old signed with the Magic last September, then was claimed off waivers by the Warriors before the start of the season. He played four games for Golden State before being waived again, then signed 10-day contracts with Milwaukee and Orlando.

Ron Harper Jr. holds the Raptors’ other two-way contract, so both slots will be filled once Dowtin’s signing becomes official.

Devin Cannady Signs 10-Day Deal With Magic

March 31st, 2022 at 10:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

10:38pm: The signing is official, the team announced in a press release.

9:25pm: Guard Devin Cannady is signing a 10-day contract with the Magic, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Cannady has been playing for Orlando’s G League team, the Lakeland Magic.

Jeff Dowtin‘s 10-day deal will expire at the end of the day on Thursday, so it’s logical to assume Cannady will replace him on the 15-man roster.

Cannady was waived by the Magic during training camp. Undrafted in 2019, Cannady has spent most of his three professional seasons in the G League.

He had a 10-day deal and two-way contract with Orlando last season and appeared in eight games. However, his season came to an early end in April when he suffered a significant ankle injury and underwent surgery.

In 16 G League games this season, he’s averaging 15.8 PPG and 1.9 APG in 26.5 MPG while making 47% of his 3-point attempts.

Dowtin appeared in four games since signing his 10-day.

Magic Sign Jeff Dowtin To 10-Day Contract

March 22nd, 2022 at 8:19am CST by Luke Adams

The Magic have signed guard Jeff Dowtin to a 10-day contract, reports Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link). The team has officially confirmed the move (Twitter link).

A G League regular for much of his professional career since going undrafted out of Rhode Island in 2020, Dowtin was a member of the Lakeland Magic team that won the NBAGL’s bubble season in 2020/21.

This season, he has appeared in 22 games for Lakeland and six for the Wisconsin Herd, averaging 21.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 4.6 RPG on .580/.398/.732 shooting in 28 total G League games (32.8 MPG). He also played in 12 games for the Santa Cruz Warriors during the NBAGL Showcase in the fall.

Dowtin earned a look from a pair of NBA teams earlier in 2021/22. He began the season on a two-way contract with the Warriors before being waived in January, then joined the Bucks on a 10-day hardship deal less than a week later. He appeared in five total games for Golden State and Milwaukee, but has been an NBA free agent since mid-January and has been playing for the Lakeland Magic since then.

Orlando had an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move was necessary to sign Dowtin, whose 10-day deal will run through March 31, covering the club’s next five games. He’ll earn $53,176 over those 10 days.

Bucks Sign Jeff Dowtin Via Hardship Exception

January 7th, 2022 at 5:33pm CST by Luke Adams

5:33pm: The Bucks have officially signed Dowtin, the team announced in a press release.

1:22pm: The Bucks intend to sign free agent guard Jeff Dowtin to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Dowtin will be Milwaukee’s third 10-day hardship addition, joining Luke Kornet and Langston Galloway.

Dowtin, 24, began the season on a two-way contract with the Warriors and appeared briefly in four games for the team. However, he was waived last weekend in order to open up a two-way slot for Quinndary Weatherspoon.

A G League regular since going undrafted out of Rhode Island in 2020, Dowtin was a member of the Lakeland Magic team that won the NBAGL’s bubble season in 2020/21 and also started 12 games for the Santa Cruz Warriors this season, averaging 17.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 5.1 APG in 35.3 minutes per contest.

The Bucks currently have four players – Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton, George Hill, and Jrue Holiday – in the health and safety protocols, which is why they qualify for another hardship exception. As a result, Dowtin’s 10-day salary ($53,176) won’t count against team salary for cap or tax purposes.