After missing the entire preseason due to a dislocated finger, Raptors big man Chris Boucher has been cleared to return for the team’s regular season opener, writes Lori Ewing of The Canadian Press (link via The Toronto Star).
Boucher had a breakout year in 2020/21, averaging 13.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 1.9 BPG in 60 games (24.2 MPG). He’s expected to once again play a regular role in the Raptors’ frontcourt this season before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2022.
“My whole career, my whole time in Toronto, nothing has been promised … I had to work for everything, I see it the same way this year,” Boucher said of his mindset in a contract year, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). “… At the end of the day I gotta be consistent, that’s the one remaining thing I gotta focus on.”
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Toronto’s roster, which is heavy on long, versatile forwards, is unlikely any group the franchise has put together in its 27 years of existence, opines Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. As Smith observes, 11 of the Raptors’ 15 players on standard contracts have listed heights of at least 6’7″, but none are taller than 6’9″.
- Having lost veteran leaders like Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, and Marc Gasol in recent years, head coach Nick Nurse will be tasked with leading a less experienced group this season, Smith writes for The Toronto Star. While Nurse adjusts his style to accommodate the new-look roster, Fred VanVleet says he’s helping the newcomers adapt to Nurse’s outside-the-box approach to coaching. “He’s a little weird at times, but he won us a championship, so he knows what he’s doing,” VanVleet said.
- Following the Raptors’ roster cuts on the weekend, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca took an in-depth look at the team’s cap and tax situation and which recently-waived players are – or aren’t – expected to play in the G League with the Raptors 905. Toronto’s team salary is currently above the luxury tax line, but the club still has the flexibility to duck below that line after pushing back the salary guarantee dates for Sam Dekker and Isaac Bonga.
Raptors and Cavs both going to the big men. Change coming soon to the “small ball” that we currently see?
They aren’t big men per se, more like guards and forwards who have the wingspan of bigs. At least in the Raptors case.
More like medium ball in Toronto’s case, like it says in the article all but 4 of the players on their roster are between 6’7″ and 6’9″. This is where the league seems to be heading with so much switching on defense. Guards are getting bigger and centers are getting smaller.
As I’ve stated multiple times on these message boreds(lol) the nba is changing to having true centers and point guards again both of who will do the less glamorous stuff needed to win and then 2, 3, 4 is the positionless part, small ball isn’t goin away for a team that losses a big center mid season or something along those lines but teams can’t start a 6’6” player at center anymore either or they will be abused by these big long athletic teams who’s players are either incredibly versatile or elite at certain skills
I wonder if this is a new approach to all the 3s. Force people to come inside.
Now with Scottie B i’ld like Siakam to be dealt over Boucher …
Why?? Boucher is older than Siakam, and frankly not very good. Nick Nurse doesn’t really trust him, and plays him exclusively at the 4.
Siakam is also coming off a so-so year, so his value is down a little. Not wise to trade an asset when it’s value is down. Siakam is a monster. People quickly forget he was a number 2 option on a championship winning team. Not many players can say that. He has his flaws, sure, but the trade Siakam narrative is getting a little ridiculous at this point.
Boucher has no real W impact for this team but i think Siakam could be dealt since Nurse benched Siakam several times last year and Raps’FO fined him for being a pain in the ass. After he signed a max contract and since then Spicy P did not play like a #2 remember Boston in the bubble…
Go get Bagley. Change of scenery to a team like the Raps who could definitely use some depth up front seems like a great fit. Could also be acquired for very little considering he’s persona non grata in Sac. Probably need to deal Dragic to the Mavs first, or perhaps another team in a 3way deal with Sac…
Agreed