Toronto Raptors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Raptors Extend, Promote Masai Ujiri

August 5th, 2021 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

5:09pm: The Raptors have officially announced Ujiri’s new deal and new title, announcing in a press release that he has signed a multiyear contract to become the team’s vice chairman and president.

“Great sportsmen impact their games. Great leaders impact their communities. Masai Ujiri does both, and we’re very pleased he is returning to the Raptors as vice-chairman and president,” Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment chairman Larry Tanenbaum said in a statement. “Masai and MLSE share the goals of bringing another NBA Championship to Toronto, and off the court, working towards making our city, country and world a better place. These are exciting times, and we look forward to all that comes next for our team, for Masai and for his family. Masai, we’re glad you’re staying home.”

1:29pm: The Raptors are losing six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry to the Heat this week, but they’ve reached an agreement to lock up their other key free agent, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

According to Wojnarowski, Toronto’s president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri has agreed to a “significant” new deal with the franchise that will give him the title of vice chairman in addition to team president. The Raptors posted a video to their Twitter account alluding to the new deal with Ujiri, whose previous contract had been about to expire.

“I love being the leader of the Toronto Raptors and I’m here to stay,” Ujiri said in the video.

Ujiri, who won the NBA’s Executive of the Year award in 2013 with the Nuggets, was hired as the Raptors’ head of basketball operations that same year and spearheaded the turnaround of a club that had missed the playoffs in five straight seasons prior to his arrival.

Ujiri and his front office have displayed a knack over the years of finding hidden gems in the draft class, including Pascal Siakam (No. 27 pick), Norman Powell (No. 46 pick), and Fred VanVleet (undrafted free agent). He also memorably acquired Kawhi Leonard from the Spurs during the 2018 offseason, a move that pushed the Raptors over the top for the first championship in team history.

There was some uncertainty about what Ujiri’s future held when he didn’t agree to an extension with the Raptors a year or two before his contract expired, but he continued his usual work in the draft and free agency this summer, signaling that he had no plans to leave the organization. According to Wojnarowski (Twitter link), Ujiri is staying in Toronto despite being courted by multiple franchises “beyond (the) NBA’s boundaries.”

Atlantic Notes: Knox, Raptors, Sixers, Beckner, Kemba

August 5th, 2021 at 11:28am CST by Luke Adams

Knicks forward Kevin Knox will not play for the team in the Las Vegas Summer League, the club announced today (via Twitter). According to the Knicks, Knox has been placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

It’s unclear whether Knox has tested positive for COVID-19. Regardless, he’ll miss out on an important opportunity for offseason development following three underwhelming seasons with the Knicks, creating further uncertainty about his future with the franchise.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Even though Masai Ujiri has made several savvy roster moves during his tenure as head of basketball operations in Toronto, he has had a hard time luring top free agents to the Raptors and many of his biggest free agent signings have been busts, write Eric Koreen and Blake Murphy of The Athletic. That’s likely a big reason why the Raptors appear to be forgoing cap space and operating over the cap this offseason, per The Athletic’s duo.
The Sixers have hired Phil Beckner as a coaching consultant, Yaron Weitzman of FOX Sports relays (Twitter links). While it’s probably unwise to read too much into the move, it’s worth noting that Beckner is a former Weber State assistant coach and Damian Lillard‘s trainer.
Mike Vorkunov, Jay King, and Jared Weiss of The Athletic discuss Kemba Walker‘s injury history and his fit with the Knicks. As Vorkunov points out, even if Walker’s left knee isn’t 100% healthy going forward, the cost of signing him (about $8MM) isn’t prohibitive and he has proven in the last two seasons that he can still be productive while dealing with that knee issue.

Ishmail Wainright Signs With Raptors

August 5th, 2021 at 9:36am CST by Luke Adams

AUGUST 7: The signing is official, the Raptors announced (via Twitter).

AUGUST 5: The Raptors have agreed to a two-year deal with free agent swingman Ishmail Wainright, agents Deirunas Visockas and Jim Tanner tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

While the exact terms of the deal aren’t known, Blake Murphy of The Athletic says (via Twitter) it’ll include a partial guarantee, giving Wainright the opportunity to compete for a regular season roster spot. It seems likely to be worth the minimum.

Wainright, 26, went outdrafted out of Baylor in 2017 and has bounced around a handful of international leagues since then. In 2020/21, he played for Strasbourg in France, registering 11.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 1.8 SPG on .485/.320/.726 shooting in 36 games (28.1 MPG). He’s considered a versatile defender on the wing, notes Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

A report in June stated that Wainright was eyeing a move to the NBA for 2021/22 and identified Toronto as the frontrunner to land him. Murphy reported on Wednesday (via Twitter) that Wainright would be on the Raptors’ Summer League roster in Las Vegas.

Trade Rumors: Kings, Siakam, Raptors, Dragic, Spurs, Markkanen

August 4th, 2021 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings “definitely” have trade interest in Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, Sam Amick of The Athletic said during an appearance on The Deuce & Mo Podcast (video link).

There have whispers this offseason – particularly since the Raptors used the No. 4 overall pick to draft Scottie Barnes – that Siakam is available via trade, but Amick says the Kings have been waiting for clarity on just how willing Toronto might be to move him. Sacramento would likely pursue Siakam if given the chance, though it’s unclear how much interest the Raptors would have in possible trade chips like Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors and notes from around the NBA:

It’s looking more and more like Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa – the two primary outgoing pieces in the Heat‘s Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade – will end up with the Raptors, at least for the time being, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. The Raptors are believed to be exploring flipping Dragic to a third team, such as the Mavericks, but apparently haven’t found a deal they like yet.
Dragic, for his part, offered the following update on Slovenian television on Tuesday, per Iztok Franko of Mavs Moneyball (Twitter link): “I haven’t heard from Toronto yet, I’m still waiting for the news. Everything depends on the third team, we’ll have the news in the next few days.”
Before agreeing to acquire Thaddeus Young and Al-Farouq Aminu in their DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade with the Bulls, the Spurs were interested in landing Lauri Markkanen via sign-and-trade, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the latest episode of his Hoop Collective podcast. However, according to Windhorst, Markkanen sought a larger contract than the Spurs were comfortable offering, prompting the team to pivot to the veterans on expiring contracts. Windhorst believes there’s a “decent chance” Markkanen – a restricted free agent – will end up returning to Chicago.

Momentum Building On Khem Birch Return

August 4th, 2021 at 1:37pm CST by Eli Cohen

Khem Birch could be nearing a return to the Raptors, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). Grange reports that there’s “growing momentum” toward the two sides reaching a deal. The 28-year-old center was extremely productive in his 19 games for the Raptors after coming over in a trade, and has turned himself into a solid starting center over the last couple seasons.

Raptors Waive Aron Baynes

August 4th, 2021 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have issued a press release announcing that they’ve officially waived veteran center Aron Baynes.

The move had been expected, since Baynes’ $7.35MM salary for 2021/22 would’ve become fully guaranteed if Toronto had kept him on the roster. Instead, the Raptors will clear that money from their books, creating some additional cap flexibility for the coming season.

Baynes, who signed a two-year contract with the Raptors during the 2020 offseason after enjoying a career year in Phoenix, was never a great fit with his new team. He averaged a modest 6.1 PPG and 5.2 RPG in 53 games (18.5 MPG) and his shooting percentages (.441/.262/.707) were significantly below his career rates.

While Baynes didn’t have a great year with Toronto, he should draw interest from teams in need of frontcourt depth. He’ll likely be available at a more team-friendly rate once he clears waivers.

The Raptors, meanwhile, have now waived four players – Baynes, Rodney Hood, DeAndre’ Bembry, and Paul Watson – who were on non-guaranteed contracts this week. The club, which is still working on the terms of the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade with Miami, will have a few bench spots to fill on its 2021/22 roster.

Free Agency Rumors: D. Green, Hart, Cavs, Caruso, DeRozan

August 3rd, 2021 at 10:13pm CST by Eli Cohen

Free agent swingman Danny Green has been in contact with the Sixers multiple times over the past two days, according to Harrison Sanford, co-host of Green’s The Green Room podcast (Twitter link).

Sandford said that as of this afternoon, the two sides were nowhere close to a deal, and that the Bucks, Celtics, Bulls and Pelicans have all reached out as well. He adds in a separate tweet that Green has pre-existing relationships with both Ime Udoka of the Celtics and Mike Budenholzer of the Bucks from his time with the Spurs.

We have more free agency rumors:

The Cavaliers have had some discussions about the possibility of a sign-and-trade for Pelicans restricted free agent forward Josh Hart, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). Without a sign-and-trade agreement, Cleveland would be limited to offering Hart the full mid-level exception, which New Orleans would presumably match.
Alex Caruso agreed to sign with the Bulls for four years, $37MM, and according to Zach Lowe of ESPN (hat tip to RealGM), the Lakers‘ offer to keep him was nowhere close to what was offered by Chicago. Ramona Shelburne added that – before Caruso agreed to his deal with the Bulls – the Timberwolves inquired about acquiring him in a sign-and-trade that would have included Marc Gasol, but didn’t have any luck.
According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link), Bulls general manager Marc Eversley was crucial in securing a commitment from DeMar DeRozan, as the two had a long-standing relationship from when Eversley was the assistant general manager for the Raptors. The Bulls’ GM flew to Los Angeles to meet with DeRozan in person and had a “fruitful” two-hour meeting, per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link).

Raptors Waive Hood, Bembry, Watson

August 3rd, 2021 at 4:29pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Raptors have waived DeAndre’ Bembry, Rodney Hood, and Paul Watson, according to a team press release. All three players had non-guaranteed contracts for the 2021/22 season.

According to Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports, the Raptors had always planned to waive Hood, who was acquired as part of the team’s trade of Gary Trent for Norman Powell, unless they could use his contract as filler in another trade. Lewenberg also suggests the decisions to waive Watson and Bembry indicate the team is either looking to create added cap flexibility or will simply go elsewhere with its end-of-bench roster spots.

Hood has been a productive player since being drafted 23rd in the 2014 draft by the Jazz, but staying healthy has been a challenge for the 6’7 lefty. Hood fractured his hand after coming over to Toronto, putting an early end on the least productive season of his career.

As we relayed earlier today, Hood already has a deal lined up with the Bucks, who are looking to add more shooting for next year’s playoff run.

In a separate tweet, Lewenberg reports that Toronto’s plan is to waive backup center Aron Baynes before his guarantee deadline tomorrow unless his money is needed in trades, and will retain Chris Boucher through his Sunday guarantee date.

Baynes came over as a free agent in the hopes that he would help stabilize the center position upon the departure of Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol, but his lone year with the Raptors was a disappointment, with the 34-year-old Australian unable to carve out a role for himself. Boucher, meanwhile, has been a massive development success for the Raptors, turning into a solid rim-protector and three-point shooter in his fourth season.

Trade Rumors: Dinwiddie, Hornets, Ingles, T. Young

August 3rd, 2021 at 1:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

Spencer Dinwiddie is close to a deal with the Wizards, but it may take some complex maneuvering to get him there, Fred Katz writes in The Athletic’s free agency recap. The two sides are reportedly hammering out a three-year contract worth $60MM, but Washington is over the cap, so a sign-and-trade will have to be arranged involving the Nets and maybe more teams.

Katz points out that Brooklyn is already over the luxury tax threshold for next season and isn’t interested in adding salary. He suggests the teams may try to tie this deal to the trade sending Russell Westbrook to the Lakers. Katz is confident that Dinwiddie will eventually join the Wizards, but it won’t be easy to work through the details.

In the same piece, Alex Schiffer notes that Brooklyn has been trying to unload DeAndre Jordan‘s contract, which is worth nearly $20MM over the next two years. John Hollinger says the Lakers could send Kyle Kuzma directly to the Nets instead of the Wizards, which would enable Brooklyn to include Jordan and avoid a huge rise in its tax bill.

There’s more on potential trades to watch for:

The Hornets are one of the few teams that still has flexibility after an active first night of free agency, Hollinger adds. A sign-and-trade of Devonte’ Graham allows Charlotte to have $15MM in cap room or to expand the deal and bring another player, possibly Lauri Markkanen. Hollinger states that the Hornets still need one more guard and another big man.
The Warriors would be interested in trading for Joe Ingles if the Jazz make him available, sources tell Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Ingles will turn 34 soon, but his passing and shooting would be valuable in Golden State’s system, though Thompson cautions that actually acquiring him would be tricky from a cap perspective. The Warriors still have hope of signing longtime Spurs guard Patty Mills, Thompson adds.
Several contending teams and younger teams are interested in getting Thaddeus Young from the Bulls, tweets Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago is hoping to resolve the situation with Markkanen before making a decision on Young.
There’s still a chance the Raptors could keep Goran Dragic– who is being acquired from the Heat in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade – rather than flipping him to another team, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet (Twitter link).

Bucks Sign Rodney Hood

August 3rd, 2021 at 11:21am CST by Arthur Hill

AUGUST 6: Hood, who was cut by the Raptors on Tuesday and cleared waivers on Thursday, has officially signed with the Bucks, according to the team (Twitter link).

AUGUST 3: Rodney Hood will sign a one-year deal with the Bucks, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Hood is still on the Raptors‘ roster after agreeing last week to delay his salary guarantee date until today. Toronto plans to release Hood, who will sign with Milwaukee after clearing waivers, Woj adds (Twitter link).

The 28-year-old swingman started last season with the Trail Blazers before being shipped to Toronto at the trade deadline. He saw his playing time cut to a career-low 12.7 minutes per game with the Raptors and averaged 3.9 PPG and 1.8 RPG.

In Milwaukee, Hood will help make up for the loss of P.J. Tucker, who is headed to Miami in free agency. Hood’s contract is likely for the veterans minimum, considering the Bucks’ salary situation.