Raptors commerce tiers 4.0: We’ve bought some (virtually) untouchables, just a few fillers and sweeteners – The Athletic
Borderline untouchable
OG Anunoby (4 years, $72 million remaining, participant choice for 2024-25)
Scottie Barnes (4 years, $33 million remaining, workforce choices for 2023-24, 2024-25)
As I mentioned, the tiers aren’t ordered in any manner, however I imagine OG Anunoby is the least seemingly Raptor to be traded — sorry, Daryl Morey. It’s not solely as a result of he’s on a superb contract for a participant who’s at worst a plus-starter and at greatest, an All-Protection first-teamer, however as a result of at 24, he matches each win-now and win-later timelines. It’s unlikely his worth has peaked, and we’ve got already seen how good of a supporting participant he’s if the Raptors can slide again into competition. It could be exhausting to seek out an Anunoby commerce that made sense for the Raptors.
As for Barnes, I might discuss myself into him being a key piece in a win-now commerce — sellers in these situations are at all times in search of gamers on rookie contracts, and he has 4 years to play out earlier than restricted free company, if that’s how his workforce decides to play it. The Raptors are way more prone to play the lengthy sport than the brief sport, so he falls right here.
Embrace the longer term
Pascal Siakam (three years, $106.3 million remaining)
Fred VanVleet (three years, $63.8 million remaining, participant choice for 2023-24)
Have been there rumours about one among these gamers this offseason? Did anyone have any opinions on one among these guys? Any takes on the market?
I by no means thought a Pascal Siakam commerce was notably seemingly this offseason — not as a result of the Raptors nonetheless completely imagine in him, though they nonetheless like him, however as a result of promoting at what’s almost definitely a profession ebb is simply not good enterprise. Sure, there are causes to imagine he’s ill-suited for a No. 1 function, however he made some good adjustments to his sport as final yr progressed, undercut by a nasty 3-point taking pictures season. A little bit of optimistic regression there might see his worth rise, which could bump up the chance he’s moved. Anyway, the takeaway must be that the Raptors aren’t seeking to commerce Siakam. Nonetheless, if the appropriate bundle is obtainable for Siakam, it might make sense to maneuver a participant who turns 28 in April because the Raptors veer extra towards the longer term.
The identical may very well be mentioned for VanVleet, who turns 28 in February, however I believe his worth to the group’s tradition is a bit greater, which means it could take a bit extra to maneuver on from him (not when it comes to property, however when it comes to the Raptors’ general willingness to commerce him).
After tumultuous yr, Siakam is rising as a unique sort of NBA star – Sportsnet
But it surely’s an attention-grabbing remark as a result of it was clear that the Raptors wished Siakam to the ‘the man’ on the ground. Nurse mentioned a lot on a number of events, and constantly put Siakam in positions to hold the load offensively, whereas acknowledging that there could be rising pains because the multi-skilled ahead grew right into a job he’d by no means had earlier than, at any degree, apart from briefly with Raptors 905 early in his skilled profession.
Siakam’s late-game stumbles final season proved the purpose, but it surely wasn’t like Nurse ever took the ball out of his palms. He saved going to Siakam, giving him alternatives to study the nuances of the hardest job within the sport on the fly.
However Siakam didn’t really feel the assist he wanted. It was a part of the gas that sparked the locker room blow up between him and Nurse final March – between being suspended by the workforce for disciplinary causes in January to being benched within the fourth quarter of a loss in February, by March he felt singled out for a Raptors season that had gone off the rails. He had some extent. Within the NBA, younger stars with profitable long-term offers are protected publicly — even when behind-the-scenes discussions is perhaps extra frank and trustworthy, let’s say.
Siakam felt uncovered and, mixed with the vitriol he was taking over social media for the primary time, he felt alone.
These items are a matter of interpretation, definitely, but when that’s how Siakam felt and it contributed to his struggles, not less than a few of that’s on the Raptors. We would wish to fake that each one superstars are born with the sort of exhausting shell that Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or Kawhi Leonard are recognized for, however others should develop these callouses over time, and wish some reassurance alongside the best way.
That, by all accounts, Raptors president Masai Ujiri wasn’t across the workforce as a lot as regular in the course of the season together with his personal contract standing up within the air most likely didn’t assist. Raptors basic supervisor Bobby Webster may run the workforce day in and day trip, however Ujiri stays the culture-setter.
Tip Sam Holako
Morning Espresso – Mon, Sep 20 originated on Raptors Republic.
