https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/insider/story/_/id/36092132/offseason-guides-trades-free-agency-draft-every-eliminated-nba-team
State of the roster: Time is up for the Raptors. Unlike the trade deadline, when Toronto kept the current roster intact (it did add Jakob Poeltl), there are now decisions to be made. It starts with the future of Nick Nurse. The Raptors coach told Tim Bontemps in late March that he will "take a few weeks to see where I'm at" when the season ends. Nurse has one year left, and Toronto is faced with the decision to extend a new contract, let him enter 2023-24 as a lame duck coach or go in a different direction. The future of Nurse will determine what direction the front office takes with the roster. There are contractual decisions with their top six players, outside of Scottie Barnes. Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. have player options and are likely to become free agents in July. They will join Poeltl, who is an unrestricted free agent. Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby are extension eligible and can become free agents in 2024. If Toronto keeps all five players then extends Barnes next offseason, total salaries could exceed $170 million in 2025-26. The lineup of VanVleet, Barnes, Anunoby, Siakam and Poeltl averaged 18.8 minutes together and outscored opponents by 63 points.
Offseason finances: Including the player options of VanVleet, Trent, Otto Porter Jr. and their first-round pick, the Raptors enter the offseason with $150 million committed next year, some $12 million below the tax threshold. VanVleet has until June 15 to opt in to his contract, Porter has until June 20 and Trent has until June 29. If those three players and Poeltl return, Toronto will likely be a tax team in 2023-24. The Raptors do have flexibility with the non-guaranteed contracts of Thaddeus Young ($8 million) and Joe Wieskamp ($1.9 million). Both contracts become guaranteed on June 30. If VanVleet and Trent do not return, the Raptors are still technically at the cap because of the $17.8 million free agent hold of Poeltl.
Top front-office priority: Besides clarity at head coach, it starts with VanVleet. The former All-Star tabled discussions this year on a four-year, $114 million extension that would have paid him a $25.5 million salary in 2023-24. The extension is $10 million less than what Jalen Brunson signed for in New York last season. VanVleet has averaged the second-most minutes in the league over the past three seasons (only behind Siakam) and leads the NBA in miles covered per game over three seasons, per Second Spectrum. Considering that Toronto sent a lightly protected 2024 first-round pick to acquire him, Poeltl is a priority this offseason. His next contract should range from $15 million per season (Jusuf Nurkic) to as high as $20 million (Jarrett Allen).
