Raptors Notes: VanVleet, Dowtin, Nurse, Siakam

Speaking to Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report (YouTube video link), Raptors guard Fred VanVleet admitted that being involved in so many trade rumors leading up to February’s deadline was a new experience for him, but said he wasn’t overly concerned about those reports because the team has always communicated well with him.

“I have such a great relationship with management and ownership, like it’s really a family thing,” VanVleet said (Twitter video link via Oren Weisfeld). “Even when all the outside noise was going on, there was really no talk behind the scenes, at least with me and them, like, ‘Hey, we might move you.’ Teams were calling, of course. There’s a lot of teams that could use me, that feel like I would take them over the hump to win a championship. Especially this year.”

VanVleet will become an unrestricted free agent this July if he turns down his 2023/24 player option, as expected. However, while it’s possible he’ll explore the open market, the veteran guard doesn’t sound like a player eager to move on from his current team.

“I’m very grateful for my situation,” VanVleet said. “This franchise gave me a chance. I’m in the NBA because they believed in me, and that’s something that I don’t take for granted, I don’t take lightly.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

• Toronto expects to make a decision on Thursday afternoon about whether or not to promote two-way player Jeff Dowtin to the 15-man roster, head coach Nick Nurse said on Wednesday (Twitter link via Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca). Nurse added he’ll meet with general manager Bobby Webster to discuss the decision.
• In a column for Sportsnet.ca, Grange argues that the Dowtin situation seems to expose a gulf between Nurse and Raptors management. Meanwhile, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca tweets that it would be a bad look for the organization if Dowtin’s solid play on his two-way deal isn’t rewarded with a promotion.
• Eric Koreen of The Athletic considers Pascal Siakam‘s case for All-NBA honors, noting that the standout forward would become eligible for a super-max extension if he’s named to one of the All-NBA teams this spring. Siakam’s numbers (24.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 5.9 APG) are certainly All-NBA caliber, but the Raptors’ underwhelming record may hurt his case, Koreen observes.
• In a separate story for The Athletic, Koreen contends that the Raptors’ organization lacks consistency in its performance and philosophy, from the front office on down to the players. Koreen suggests the decision not to convert Dowtin’s contract in time for a big game on Wednesday was an odd one, given that the team could have used him in its loss to Boston.