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Raptors’ Stanley Johnson Opts In For 2020/21

November 16th, 2020 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors forward Stanley Johnson has picked up his option for the 2020/21 season, the team announced today (Twitter link via Blake Murphy of The Athletic).

Johnson, who signed a two-year deal with Toronto last summer using the bi-annual exception, earned $3.623MM in 2019/20 and will make $3.804MM in his option year.

After spending the first four years of his career in Detroit and New Orleans, Johnson had an extremely limited role in Toronto last season, averaging 2.4 PPG and 1.5 RPG in just 25 games (6.0 MPG). While Johnson dealt with some injury issues, he also didn’t show enough to secure a regular rotation spot when healthy and played mostly garbage-time minutes for the Raptors.

If the Raptors believe there’s still more potential to unlock in Johnson, they could bring him back as a member of their regular-season roster in 2020/21. If they want to free up his roster spot, he’ll be a candidate to be traded or released within the next week or two.

Assuming he plays out the season on his current deal, Johnson will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021.

Atlantic Notes: Ujiri, Raptors, Lewis Jr., Sixers

November 15th, 2020 at 5:42pm CST by JD Shaw

The Raptors have provided proposals for how they – and visiting teams – could safely play in Toronto this season, president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri wrote in an article for The Toronto Star.

The organization has explored temporary homes in the United States due to the border being closed to non-essential travel as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Raptors’ strong preference is to play its games in Toronto if permitted.

“We’ve provided detailed proposals to governments about how we, and the teams that visit us, could play safely in Toronto,” Ujiri wrote. “Our plan builds on things we learned in the bubble, such as daily testing, limiting contact, and safe travel. It’s constructed to keep our players, staff, their families and Canadians healthy, because that has to be the starting point and the end point.”

The Raptors are considering a number of options in America, with a recent report indicating that Tampa Bay, Florida would be a frontrunner to host the team this season.

“We have to look at other options, because the preseason is coming up fast — Dec. 1,” Ujiri explained. “We are proud to represent our city and our country, and we hope to be able to do that while playing in Toronto. Cities in the United States have been very kind to us — they’ve offered us a home away from home. To them I say: Thank you. To you, I say that I hope we get to tell them we won’t be able to take them up on their generous offer.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division tonight:

Despite Ujiri and the Raptors presenting a good plan to host games in Toronto this season, concerns remain over cross-border travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, Canada’s deputy chief of public health Dr. Howard Njoo said, as relayed by ESPN. The team remains without a finalized home despite training camps beginning in roughly two weeks.
The speed of Alabama point guard Kira Lewis Jr. has attracted the interest of the Knicks, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Lewis, who’s largely considered to be the fastest player in the draft, worked out for the team last month. “Getting to the rim, finishing over length and showing my shot as well,” Lewis said of what he tried to show the team. “I try to bring every aspect I can whether it’s ball handing, passing, shooting, defense, rebounding,. Anything I can do to help the team. I’m trying to get better [in] being more physical with my size and handling bigger defenders, cutting to the basket and making great reads.”
Daryl Morey‘s rebuilding of the Sixers could ultimately start with the draft, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The Sixers own the No. 21, No. 34, No. 36, No. 49 and No. 58 picks in the draft, which is set to commence on Wednesday.

Raptors Confident About Keeping Fred VanVleet

November 15th, 2020 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors are confident that they can reach a new contract with free agent Fred VanVleet, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto has a strong relationship with VanVleet and has continued to communicate with his agent about a new deal.

VanVleet became a full-time starter last season and responded with a career year, averaging 17.6 points and 6.6 assists in 54 games. He was also fourth in the NBA in steals and led the league in deflections. A year before that, he was a valuable rotation piece as the Raptors won their first NBA title.

VanVleet spoke about his objectives in free agency during a recent appearance on J.J. Redick‘s podcast. He admitted wanting to maximize his earnings, but said other considerations will be part of his decision.

“I’m a businessman at heart … but I do value certain things when picking between franchises that are offering the same number,” he said. “That part will be easy … we know what teams are what.”

Grange notes that part of the reason for the Raptors’ confidence is a market limited by the small number of teams with cap space and the league-wide loss of revenue last season. Still, an Eastern Conference executive told Grange it wouldn’t be surprising if a team decided to give VanVleet a max offer of about $117.3MM over four years.

Grange identifies New York, Detroit and Phoenix as teams with cap space that will be in the market for a point guard. However, Knicks president Leon Rose may be looking at a different target in his first major move with the franchise, the Pistons reportedly won’t exceed an offer of about $20MM per year and the Suns are currently limited to $19MM in cap space. Grange expects Toronto to match anything in that range.

A larger offer could leave the Raptors with a difficult decision. Toronto’s long-term plan is to build around VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, who already has a max deal, and possibly OG Anunoby, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. Giving max money to VanVleet would take away any financial flexibility for the future.

Grange compares VanVleet’s situation to Kyle Lowry‘s free agency three years ago. Although there were rumors he might wind up with the Heat, Spurs or Timberwolves, Toronto’s front office was patient and eventually got him to re-sign. Grange expects a similar outcome this fall, with VanVleet agreeing to a deal that benefits both him and the team.

Chris Finch Finalizing Deal To Become Raptors Assistant

November 14th, 2020 at 3:48pm CST by JD Shaw

Chris Finch is finalizing a deal to join Nick Nurse‘s coaching staff with the Raptors as an assistant, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Finch has a storied history with Nurse, Wojnarowski notes, with the veteran coach most recently spending time in Denver and New Orleans.

Draft Notes: Anthony, Vassell, Maledon, Maxey

November 13th, 2020 at 9:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Southeast Division clubs have shown the most interest in North Carolina point guard Cole Anthony. He’s had individual workouts for the Wizards, Heat and Magic, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. The son of former NBA guard Greg Anthony is ranked 19th on ESPN’s Best Available list. The Wizards own the No. 9 pick, with Orlando holding the No. 15 selection and Miami sitting at No. 20.

We have more draft news:

Florida State guard Devin Vassell, ranked 11th by ESPN, has worked out for a handful of teams, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. Vassell said he’s visited with the Knicks, Warriors, Celtics, Hawks and Magic. The presence of the Hawks (No. 6 pick) and Knicks (No. 8) suggest Vassell could go in the top 10. Golden State’s interest is intriguing, suggesting Vassell would be a target if the club trades down from the No. 2 pick.
French point guard Theo Maledon has worked out for three Atlantic Division clubs as well as the Spurs, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. The Nets (19th pick), Celtics (three first-rounders) and Raptors (No. 29) have also taken a look at Maledon, who is rated 24th overall by ESPN.
As of Thursday, the Pelicans were the only team to host Tyrese Maxey, Rod Beard of the Detroit News tweets. The Kentucky shooting guard is 14th on ESPN’s list and New Orleans holds the 13th pick, so its interest late in the lottery makes sense.

Wolstat: No Need For Raptors To Worry About VanVleet's Comments

November 13th, 2020 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun isn’t reading too much into Fred VanVleet‘s comments about “trying to get paid” in free agency. It’s hardly breaking news that money is an important consideration for top free agents, according to Wolstat, who says he’d still bet on the Raptors re-signing their veteran point guard.

Pacers Rumors: Oladipo, Turner, Brogdon, More

November 12th, 2020 at 10:36am CST by Luke Adams

Victor Oladipo agitated some of his Pacers teammates by saying some iteration of “Can I come play with y’all?” to members of the Raptors, Heat, and Knicks last season in front of his teammates, three sources tell J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star.

According to Michael, Oladipo has also gained a reputation throughout his career for being moody — he’ll be positive when things are going well, but has a tendency to point fingers if they aren’t, sources tell The Indy Star.

Still, Michael says the odds have increased that Oladipo will still be in Indiana when the 2020/21 season gets underway. As Michael explains, replacing head coach Nate McMillan with Nate Bjorkgren has helped “change the tone” for the Pacers, whose front office has maintained a “good rapport” with Oladipo. According to Michael, Oladipo’s agent Aaron Turner has also conveyed to the franchise that his client would like to stick around.

The Pacers have engaged in trade discussions involving Oladipo, including in hypothetical three-team deals that would also include big man Myles Turner, sources tell Michael. But for now, the two-time All-Star seems more likely than not to remain a Pacer until at least the 2021 trade deadline.

Here’s more on the Pacers:

Indiana is keeping the door open for possible contract extension talks with Oladipo, but doesn’t expect a deal to be reached before he hits free agency in 2021, writes Michael. Signing a new contract in free agency would be the best way for Oladipo to maximize his earnings, since the most lucrative extension the Pacers can offer is worth less than the max.
Turner has generated plenty of interest, with the Celtics and Hornets believed to be among the teams with an eye on him, according to Michael. League sources with knowledge of the situation tell The Indy Star that while Turner entered the offseason resigned to the possibility that he may be playing elsewhere in 2020/21, the most recent interactions he has had with the franchise suggest he may end up staying put.
After joining the Pacers in 2019, Malcolm Brogdon emerged as the team’s leader. A league source told The Indy Star earlier this year that Oladipo felt it was “no longer his locker room” when he returned from his quad tendon injury, and two sources have since confirmed that sentiment, per Michael.
Brogdon was also the player who was most outspoken and displeased with McMillan’s coaching style, which was referred to as “coaching through fear,” according to Michael.

Tampa Emerging As Raptors’ Most Likely Temporary Home?

November 12th, 2020 at 9:33am CST by Luke Adams

With NBA training camps set to get underway in less than three weeks and the regular season scheduled to tip off in less than six weeks, the Raptors don’t have much time to figure out where they’ll be playing in 2020/21.

The franchise’s strong preference is still to spend the season in Toronto, with one team executive telling Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, “If we can get it done in Toronto, we’d to it tomorrow.” However, restrictions on travel between the U.S. and Canada due to the coronavirus pandemic will make it impractical for teams to be going back and forth across the border for the next several months.

As such, the Tampa Bay area has emerged as the most likely temporary home for the Raptors, team and league sources tell Grange. Tampa had been one of several rumored options the club was considering, along with along with Nashville, Newark, and Kansas City, among others. Now, it sounds like Tampa has the upper hand on those other locations.

“Ideally, the Raptors are able to play their upcoming season in Toronto,” Rob Higgins, executive director of Tampa Bay Sports Commission, said in an email to Sportsnet.ca on Wednesday. “But should that not be possible, we would have a strong interest in working to successfully meet and exceed their expectations as an alternative host. We’ve enjoyed our preliminary conversations with their organization and stand ready to assist if needed.”

The Raptors have reportedly engaged in discussions with Canadian government officials in the hopes of figuring out a plan that will allow them to play their games in Toronto. However, it might be a tough sell, with COVID-19 case numbers increasing in recent weeks on both sides of the border.

While the organization is willing to take the decision down to the wire, it wants to have some clarity before the start of training camp, according to Grange, who says the Raps don’t want to conduct their camp in Toronto and then play elsewhere during the season, like the Blue Jays did earlier this year.

“If we’re here for training camp, we’re here for the season,” an insider told Sportsnet. “We’re not going to come back and then have to find another place to play.”

VanVleet Hoping To "Cash Out" In Free Agency; Raptors Working To Stay In Toronto For 2020/21

November 11th, 2020 at 7:54pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Though the Raptors prefer to host their home games for the 2020/21 season in Toronto, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca notes that the decision will ultimately be made by the Canadian government. The federal officials at the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Ottawa Citizenship, who oversee travel regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic, may hesitate to make a special exemption on extant 14-day quarantine requirements for new arrivals into the country just to accommodate visiting U.S.-based NBA personnel.

With the draft and free agency scheduled for next week, plus an expected lift on the current pause on trades, time is running out for Raptors ownership to keep Toronto in Toronto.

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, one of the top free agents during the 2020 offseason, stated on J.J. Redick and Tommy Alter’s podcast The Old Man And The Three that money will be important in his offseason decision-making. He elaborated on the matter, per Joshua Howe of Sportsnet.ca. “I’m trying to get paid, man,” VanVleet said. “I won a championship and now it’s time to cash out.”

Why Raptors Could Benefit From Draft And Stash 2020 Strategy

November 10th, 2020 at 6:48pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Raptors might be well-served to consider using either their No. 29 or No. 59 pick during the 2020 draft as a “draft-and-stash” option, selecting a player they know won’t arrive in the NBA until at least the 2021/22 season, writes Blake Murphy of The Athletic.

Limited rotation space for unproven players, the expected development of current Toronto youth, and the compressed offseason are all factors that could point to the draft-and-stash route, Murphy notes. The Raptors face some interesting offseason options, with key role players Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka entering free agency.