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Here's my attempt at introducing the Raptors' summer. Expected by many to falter and stumble after last summer, Raptors continued their recent history of strong play in the regular season. Time will tell if they revert back to the previous Lebronto era playoff Raptors or the swagger from last year's run carry over. For now though we will skip that and focus on the questions surrounding the team in the ensuing offseason.

ROSTER:

Player Age 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24
Kyle Lowry 34 $30,000,000
Norman Powell 27 $10,865,952 $11,615,328(PO)
Patrick McCaw 24 $4,000,000
Stanley Johnson 23 $3,801,000(PO)
Pascal Siakam 26 $29,000,000 $31,320,000 $33,640,000 $35,960,000
OG Anunoby 22 $3,872,215
Terence Davis 23 $1,517,981
Matt Thomas 25 $1,517,981 $1,782,621
Dewan Hernandez 23 $1,517,981 $1,782,621

Total of above: $86,093,110
RFA: Chris Boucher, Malcolm Miller
UFA: FVV, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Rondae Hollis Jefferson

Draft picks: Owns their own 1st rd pks for the next 5 years (projected 28th), missing a 2nd rd pk in 2022 and 2024.

As you can see, lots of potential turnover this offseason. Here are some questions to consider:

Party's over? It has been a fun run with this group, but with the impending cap crunch and aging of Lowry and Gasol, do they have it left in them to make another deep playoff run? Should we try to keep everyone together for one last hurrah before 2021 FA or initiate the reload around Siakam ahead of time? Are you convinced Toronto can bring in a max FA in 2021? If not, what are some contingency options?

Stay Steady, Freddy? Regardless of whether or not Raptors want to reload or continue to contend, one player that management would like to keep regardless of the team direction is FVV. He has paired with Siakam since their time in the G league and now look to be co-stars on the biggest stage. I am more conflicted though with regards to the terms and $$$ it may cost given the dearth of PG options for other teams in FA. One potential silver lining from this suspension of play and decreased cap is that he may potentially accept a short term deal in hopes of a bigger payday in the future (https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2020/04/fred-vanvleet-may-consider-short-term-contract.html). How much would you offer him if you were the GM of your respective team?

1, 2, 3, 4, ____ A quick look at the roster reveals centre as the biggest hole for the raptors next season. Gasol's service will be highly sought after by just about every team with playoff aspirations (whether as starter or bench). Ibaka will likely command one last large contract. Boucher, bless this man's motor, is likely too undersized to bang with other bigs on a starter's workload. More and more teams are devoting less resources to the 5 position these days. Do you see the Raptors following that trend too?

Look elsewhere for Gasol replacement. Good chance decline starts sooner rather than later as he's already 35.

Re-sign FVV to team friendly deal if possible. 3/42 for both. De-escalating contracts, preferably.

Let Ibaka walk unless he's willing to sign team friendly deal.

Keep Boucher and RHJ for cheap.

Go from there.

What do raps fans and others want to do with Lowry?

I would love to have him, but it will be incredibly tough and cost us DG (for salary)

nzahir wrote:What do raps fans and others want to do with Lowry?

I would love to have him, but it will be incredibly tough and cost us DG (for salary)

Others may correct me, but i think it depends on what Lowry himself wants; he has earned that right to decide whether to retire a raptor or to contend on another team one more time. If he wants to keep competing but we flamed out in the playoffs this year, i can see a trade happen in the offseason. If he wants to keep playing after 2020, i imagine he would be up for a Dirk-like retirement contract of 10mil or less.

I would be shocked if FVV signs a 3 year deal for 42m.

I could easily see PHX offering 3 year 60m

Their team really depends on aging Lowry, Gasol who have been their backbone.
If they get into retirement, they will falter unless the successors can replicate their production.

Nice job on the thread; added to our master list.

I think Lowry holds the key not only tohis future, but Van Vleet's also. The team's offer to FVV ought to be a lot less if Lowry says he wants to play 3 more years in TO than if he calls next year his last hurrah. I'll continue to think on this.

Crives wrote:I would be shocked if FVV signs a 3 year deal for 42m.

I could easily see PHX offering 3 year 60m

I think a 20m salary is reasonable considering his play this year. My fear is if someone goes up to 25/yr over 4 then it becomes a more difficult decision to match or not.

loserX wrote:Nice job on the thread; added to our master list.

I think Lowry holds the key not only tohis future, but Van Vleet's also. The team's offer to FVV ought to be a lot less if Lowry says he wants to play 3 more years in TO than if he calls next year his last hurrah. I'll continue to think on this.

Thanks! yea i agree it's not exactly wise to devote so much money to one position, even if FVV has been playing SG it's not ideal. I think whats most likely to happen is FVV becomes starter and lowry retires or moves to the bench on a discount contract, but it can also play out like tony parker i assume (which would be unfortunate).

What they should do is try to resign Ibaka/Gasol both to identical $15m, 1-year deals. Keep the flexibility on, while keeping center as a strength on the team.

If FVV gets an offer north of $48m, 3 years - try to arrange for a sign-and trade, otherwise let him go. Sign Alec Burks, Brandon Knight or Shabazz Napier as the replacement guard if FVV leaves.

Give RHJ a small raise to be the 9th man. Same goes for Boucher to be the 11th man. Let go of Malcolm Miller. See if you can add Denzel Valentine on a similar deal to RHJ from last year.

There aren't a lot of exciting moves to be made with the roster if you exclude Lowry, Siakam and Anunoby from trades. I'd be content with essentially running the team back.

TPV wrote:What they should do is try to resign Ibaka/Gasol both to identical $15m, 1-year deals. Keep the flexibility on, while keeping center as a strength on the team.

If FVV gets an offer north of $48m, 3 years - try to arrange for a sign-and trade, otherwise let him go. Sign Alec Burks, Brandon Knight or Shabazz Napier as the replacement guard if FVV leaves.

Give RHJ a small raise to be the 9th man. Same goes for Boucher to be the 11th man. Let go of Malcolm Miller. See if you can add Denzel Valentine on a similar deal to RHJ from last year.

There aren't a lot of exciting moves to be made with the roster if you exclude Lowry, Siakam and Anunoby from trades. I'd be content with essentially running the team back.

Gasol can probably be had for 1 yr deal, Ibaka I doubt he would settle. What is your plan at PG after lowry is done in 1-2 yrs?

^^^ Quoting the above post.

There is still a chance Lowry is still a good starter, so he stays unless there is an overwhelmingly better option. But in the case that Lowry is no longer starting quality / he moves on from the team..

If FVV is still here, then he's the starter. If FVV is gone from the team, Terence Davis should be more than ready as the starting point guard. In any case, the team would have drafted / signed an undrafted FA as a developmental PG to take over as the backup. Also if FVV is gone, the team would have a placeholder veteran for 1-2 years like Knight, Napier or Burks to fill in. If Davis actually isn't ready to be the starting PG, you sign someone in free agency to fill that role.

1. Let Boucher, Miller and RHJ all walk.

2. Re-sign FVV to a 1 year max - $29,250,000

3. Re-sign Ibaka to a 1 year $15,000,000 (if he excepts)

4. Re-sign Gasol to a 1 year $11,000,000

Stay under the tax and run it back one more year, then go from there in 2021. Maintain flexibility that's key.

~30m is a lot for FVV for a single year.

Oh, and I say sign FVV to a 3 year declining deal with a nice starting salary. Worse case you pay a pick to dump 2 years, best case you get a pick trading him to sign an Allstar. And the base case is you have him signed for 3 years.

Ibaka is one of the heart and soul players but I severely doubt he would accept anything less than a long term deal. He was having a career season at 31 and is probably looking to cash in. I would see if he could be signed and traded somewhere for an expiring and a young piece.


Ibaka SnT


To Portland for Ariza/Gary Trent JR?


To Golden State for Looney/Poole/Smailgaic/Bender


To Houston for PJ Tucker/Hartenstein


To Lakers for KCP(snt)/Cook/Kuzma









sign Gasol to a one year 18 mill deal.

resign Fred to 4 years 75 mill


resign Rondae to a year 10 mill deal with a team option

sign Biyombo to a min



Gasol/Looney/Biyombo
Siakam/Boucher/RHJ
OG/Poole/Bender
VanVleet/Powell
Lowry/Davis


Masai finds some undrafted gems to fill out the rest of the roster.

I agree that Ibaka will seek a long term deal. Maybe TOR helps him with a S&T.

Was gets Ibaka signed to a 3 year, $41.7M deal
Tor gets: PG Ish Smith, F/C Moritz Wagner, #37

The Wizards get a new starting C to space the floor and play defense as they try to compete with Wall/Beal.

Tor gets an expiring contract in Ish Smith and a stretch big in Wagner. Wagner has a team option for next year so this in no way hurts their future cap. They get #37 for helping out and they have a good track record of drafting.

I do think there is a chance that Ibaka stays in Toronto because there aren't many under the cap teams with a need at center.
Sign and trades are going to be difficult with this as well. I think there's a real chance that Ibaka could take a one-year deal and wait until there's more money next year.

Now the biggest factor against Toronto is that he'll probably want a starting spot, which he won't get with Gasol in town. If I were to bet, I'd say both Gasol and Ibaka are back next year.

HartfordWhalers wrote:~30m is a lot for FVV for a single year.

I agree, but he needs an incentive to take a 1 year deal. Probably get him for 1 year @ around 24 though. If he's signing a 4 or 5 year deal then it's got to be below 18/year for me to be happy with it. Otherwise just let him walk.

Saul Goodman wrote:Ibaka is one of the heart and soul players but I severely doubt he would accept anything less than a long term deal. He was having a career season at 31 and is probably looking to cash in. I would see if he could be signed and traded somewhere for an expiring and a young piece.


Ibaka SnT


To Portland for Ariza/Gary Trent JR?


To Golden State for Looney/Poole/Smailgaic/Bender


To Houston for PJ Tucker/Hartenstein


To Lakers for KCP(snt)/Cook/Kuzma









sign Gasol to a one year 18 mill deal.

resign Fred to 4 years 75 mill


resign Rondae to a year 10 mill deal with a team option

sign Biyombo to a min



Gasol/Looney/Biyombo
Siakam/Boucher/RHJ
OG/Poole/Bender
VanVleet/Powell
Lowry/Davis


Masai finds some undrafted gems to fill out the rest of the roster.

These are all horrible moves except Biyombo at the min and maybe FVV @ 4/75. Gasol isn't getting more than the mid level anywhere and Ibaka wants to be here. Those trades are awful. Just offer Serge a huge 1 year deal and be done with it.