Toronto Raptors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Raptors 905 Waive Kay Felder After Domestic Violence Allegation

December 3rd, 2018 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate, have waived Kay Felder after the point guard was charged by police in connection with a domestic violence allegation, the team announced today in a press release.

Before the club confirmed Felder’s release, a G League spokesperson had informed TMZ Sports that the 23-year-old would be placed on indefinite leave, pending a full investigation.

According to TMZ’s report, Felder was arrested early on Monday morning near Toronto and booked for assault after reportedly getting violent and making threats toward a woman. He was released from custody on Monday and is due to appear in court later this month, per TMZ.

Felder, who was selected 54th overall in the 2016 NBA draft by the Cavaliers, appeared in 42 games for Cleveland in his rookie season, then played 16 total games in 2017/18 for the Bulls and Pistons. The 5’9″ guard was with the Raptors for training camp this fall, but was waived before the regular season began, joining Toronto’s NBAGL squad at that point.

A return to the NBA this season for Felder appears unlikely after this incident.

Poll: Will The Raptors Make The Finals?

December 2nd, 2018 at 9:16pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Heading into the season, many predicted that the Celtics and Warriors would clash in the NBA Finals. Despite the Raptors making a big splash in the offseason by acquiring Kawhi Leonard, many felt that the Celtics’ depth and dynamic talent would lead them out of the Eastern Conference after falling short the two previous seasons.

However, so far it has been the Raptors that look like the best team in the conference, owning a 20-4 record and 6.5-game lead over the Celtics in the standings. The Raptors have been getting it done on both ends of the floor, as they own the league’s second-ranked offense and ninth-ranked defense (which could improve throughout the season as they continue to integrate the new additions).

Leonard is leading the way, returning to a near-MVP level, while Kyle Lowry is proving to be a more than worthy sidekick as he leads the league in assists. Other players such as Pascal Siakam, Danny Green and Serge Ibaka have stepped up to provide a lending hand throughout the first quarter of the season.

The Raptors have the talent and depth to play a variety of ways. If they aren’t overwhelming you with their offense, they can lock you down with their switchable defense that boasts several strong defenders on the wing. Of course, the NBA season is long and plenty can change between now and the playoffs, especially as it relates to the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.

That begs the question: will the Raptors make the Finals? Vote in the poll below and share your thoughts in the comments section!

Will the Raptors make the Finals?

Yes 69.02% (1,727 votes)

No 30.98% (775 votes)

Total Votes: 2,502

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Leonard And Green Can Lead Raptors In Crunch Time

December 2nd, 2018 at 4:52pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

The Raptors have been the best team in the NBA so far this season, in no small part due to the offseason additions of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. As Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, one of the key qualities that both veterans bring to the table is their play down the stretch of a close game, as evident in the duel against Kevin Durant and the Warriors last week.

As Bontemps points out, both Green and Leonard have been on the floor for the most intense moments of the NBA Finals and both players are battle-tested as they look to lead the Raptors to the promised land this season.

The Raptors still have to iron out some late-game kinks in order to close out tough games (especially come playoff time), but at least this season they will have two players that can thrive in such moments on the floor. There aren’t many other teams that can claim that, especially in the Eastern Conference.

Raptors Notes: Green, Miles, Kawhi, Lowry

November 29th, 2018 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Two Raptors sharpshooters in possible contract years are having two very different seasons so far, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca in a look at Danny Green and C.J. Miles.

Green, earning $10MM this season, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2019 and is playing as well as he has in years, averaging 9.6 PPG, shooting a team-best 43.0% from the beyond the arc, and providing strong perimeter defense. He’ll be 32 years old when he hits the open market next July, but he’s positioning himself well for at least one more nice payday.

On the other end of the spectrum, Miles has struggled mightily so far in 2018/19 — his 5.5 PPG would be his worst mark since the 2007/08 season, and his .288 3PT% is substantially below his career mark. Miles figures to bounce back at some point, but he looks like a virtual lock to exercise his $8.73MM player option for 2019/20 rather than opting for free agency.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

It looks like a no-brainer in hindsight, but the Raptors took a big gamble when they traded for Kawhi Leonard in the offseason, and so far that gamble is paying off in a big way, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com. “It’s a great trade for Toronto, even if [Leonard] leaves,” one league executive said. “I just never saw them going any further than they had with DeMar [DeRozan].”
Speaking of Leonard, he has a new multiyear endorsement deal in place with New Balance, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. The former NBA Finals MVP passed on an extension with Jordan Brand earlier this year.
In a conversation with Michael Lee of The Athletic, Kyle Lowry explained why he’s no longer upset about the Raptors’ decision to trade his best friend DeRozan, and talked about adjusting to playing alongside an MVP-caliber player like Leonard. “Me, how I am, I want to make sure he’s comfortable,” Lowry said of Kawhi. “He’s the most talented player that we have. He’s our best player. He’s got a ring. Why not? Danny’s been great, too. Nothing is ever awkward because this is a small brotherhood. We all respect what we do.”

Atlantic Notes: Kawhi, Fultz, Celtics, Nets

November 26th, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich raised some eyebrows on Saturday when he said that Kawhi Leonard wasn’t a “leader” in San Antonio, with veterans like Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills assuming that role instead. While Popovich acknowledged that Leonard was a great player, he suggested that “leadership wasn’t his deal at the time.”

Responding to those comments on Sunday night, Leonard pushed back, telling reporters – including Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter links) – that he leads by example with the Raptors, as he did for the Spurs.

“It’s just funny to me,” Leonard said of Popovich’s comments. “I don’t know if he’s talking about last year or not. I guess when you stop playing they forget how you lead… It doesn’t matter. I’m here with the Raptors and I’m focused on the season and not what’s going on on the other side.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Sixers won’t be providing an update on Markelle Fultz today, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Keith Pompey of Philly.com (Twitter links). As Woj and Pompey explain, Fultz is now scheduled to see multiple specialists this week in New York, so there likely won’t be any decisions made on his next steps until the latter part of the week.
Within an in-depth piece on the Celtics‘ struggles, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes, “Most executives expect the trade winds to stay quiet, and there are few players who would realistically be available who would be upgrades for Boston.” President of basketball operations Danny Ainge has essentially said as much publicly, as we detailed earlier today.
With Caris LeVert sidelined indefinitely, Spencer Dinwiddie and D’Angelo Russell have been developing chemistry together as the Nets‘ lead guards, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. LeVert remains perhaps the most important long-term piece in Brooklyn’s backcourt, but the knowledge that Dinwiddie and Russell can succeed together would give the team more options next summer, when both players will become free agents.

James Johnson: Kawhi Leondard Will Find A Lot To Like About Toronto

November 25th, 2018 at 10:21am CST by Arthur Hill

Heat forward James Johnson, who spent three and a half seasons in Toronto, believes Kawhi Leonard will find a lot to like about the city, relays Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Leonard is averaging 24.4 points per game and has propelled the Raptors to a 16-4 start, the best record in the league. “I think guys are more focused on winning now and getting to a team that can get to those Eastern Conference finals or can get to the championship series,” Johnson said. “So I don’t think it’s about place anymore. It’s about building the right team.”

Scariolo Leaving Raptors To Coach Spain In WC Qualifiers

November 23rd, 2018 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

Following the Raptors‘ game on Friday against Washington, assistant coach Sergio Scariolo will head over to Europe to coach Spain for a pair of 2019 World Cup qualifying games next week, as Doug Smith of The Toronto Star details. It’s a rare opportunity for an NBA assistant like Scariolo, who said the Raptors approved the time off when he initially signed his contract during the offseason. “Without even myself working one hour on the floor, they had already given me this permission and I am really thankful,” Scariolo said.

Injury Updates: Nowitzki, Markkanen, Leonard, Harkless

November 21st, 2018 at 7:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki is targeting next month for his season debut, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Nowitzki provided an update today on his condition as he continues rehab work after having surgery on his left ankle in April. “Hopefully somewhere in December, I’ll be ready,” he said, although he hasn’t been able to participate in a full practice since the operation.

Nowitzki saw some action in a “staff game” today, playing against interns and younger members of the coaching staff. “I wasn’t the best player out there, so I have some work to do,” he said.

Nowitzki, who turned 40 over the summer, remained effective last season, playing 77 games and averaging 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per night. He has indicated that this may be his final NBA season, although he hasn’t made a formal announcement.

There’s more injury-related news to pass along:

Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen continues to make progress in his return from a right elbow injury and could start practicing with contact next week, according to the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). Coach Fred Hoiberg said Markkanen has made major improvements with his conditioning. He suffered a high-grade lateral elbow sprain during training camp.
Hoiberg added that Kris Dunn is ahead of Bobby Portis in recovering from knee injuries that they suffered within days of each other (Twitter link).
The Raptors are moving closer to using Kawhi Leonard in back-to-back games, coach Nick Nurse told Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun (Twitter link). Nurse added that the team’s strategy with Leonard over the first quarter of the season has been successful, and there have been no problems when he has been asked to play a lot of minutes. “He feels good,” Nurse added of Leonard, who was limited to nine games with the Spurs last season because of a quad injury.
The Raptors‘ C.J. Miles missed his fifth straight game tonight with a groin strain, but he should be back soon, Wolstat adds (Twitter link).
Maurice Harkless is returning to the Trail Blazers‘ lineup tonight after missing 13 games with a sore left knee, tweets Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.

Eastern Notes: Raptors, Kanter, Lamb, Sixers

November 18th, 2018 at 3:16pm CST by JD Shaw

The Raptors have started the season with a 13-4 record, but major changes to the roster and coaching staff may have prevented the team from reaching its full potential so far.

Nick Nurse was hired as new head coach, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green were acquired in a blockbuster trade, and the rapid improvement of third-year player Pascal Siakam has forced the team to shuffle lineups in the season’s first month.

“We’re not executing as much as we’d like to, obviously,” Green said, according to Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. “I think that we get a little stagnant at times late in games, but that just comes from us being new to each other … figuring it out and learning.”

Toronto lost three straight games entering Saturday’s win over the Bulls, but still sits atop the Eastern Conference with the NBA’s best record. The team has a solid mix of players who can play on both ends, and the more experience the club gains together, the better they can become.

“Once we get a little more rhythm and identity, we’ll have some good go-to plays down the stretch that we know we can rely on,” Green said.

There’s more from around the Eastern Conference today:

The Knicks are trying to pacify Enes Kanter, in the view of Marc Berman of the New York Post, who suggests Kanter could be unhappy with sitting down the stretch of the team’s game against the Pelicans Friday. Kanter played 15 minutes and was the first player to leave the locker room, also sending a cryptic tweet moments after the game. He opted not to answer media questions directed towards his playing time.
Hornets guard Jeremy Lamb has thrived in his first year of being a starter, Basketball Insiders’ Spencer Davies writes. Lamb has averaged a career-best 13.4 points per game in his fourth season with Charlotte. “Being a starting two-guard in the league is not easy,” coach James Borrego said. “You gotta guard every single night, can’t take a night off. So I give (Jeremy) a lot of credit. He’s grown up a lot this season. I’m proud of him and I think he’s growing every single game.”
The 76ers‘ acquisition of Jimmy Butler will force them to face new challenges in the future, Derek Bodner of The Athletic writes. Philadelphia is expected to be in the forefront of contention in the East, with the team featuring a “Big 3” of Butler, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Southeast Division

November 16th, 2018 at 9:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Southeast Division:

Dewayne Dedmon, Hawks, 29, C (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $14.1MM deal in 2017
Dedmon’s journeyman career had been on an upward path the past couple of seasons but appears to have plateaued under new coach Lloyd Pierce. Dedmon was coming off the bench before missing a few games for personal reasons after starting 46 games last season under Mike Budenholzer. His playing time has taken a hit from 24.9 MPG to 19.7. Dedmon is making $7.2MM but will likely have to settle for a veteran’s minimum deal or something close to it in unrestricted free agency next summer.

Wayne Ellington, Heat, 30, SG (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $6.27MM deal in 2018
The Heat have an overload of options at the wing positions but Ellington’s shooting has made him a steady rotation presence since recovering from an ankle injury. Over the past five games, Ellington is shooting 44.7% on his 3-point attempts. That’s the main reason coach Erik Spoestra has played him an average of 28.6 MPG over that span. Ellington settled for a one-year contract in free agency this summer and his outside shooting should lead to multi-year offers in July.

Jeremy Lamb, Hornets, 26, SG (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $21MM deal in 2016
Lamb averaged double digits in scoring for the first time in his career last season and he’s established himself as a starter this season. Lamb is averaging 12.9 PPG as Kemba Walker‘s backcourt partner while shooting a career-best 39.2% from long range. He’s also been a factor on defense (career high 1.4 SPG). Lamb is making $7.49MM and his shooting and defensive length will grant him a healthy raise when he hits the open market in July.

Terrence Ross, Magic, 27, SG/SF (Up) — Signed to a three-year, $31.5MM deal in 2016
Ross appeared in only 24 games last season due to a knee injury. He started most of the games he was able to play for Orlando after being dealt by the Raptors in February 2017 but new coach Steve Clifford has made him a second-unit contributor. Thus far, Ross has thrived in that role, averaging 13.9 PPG while making a career-high 39.3% of his threes. That kind of production will give him consideration for the Sixth Man award if he keeps it up. It would also lead to multi-year offers next summer for Ross, who is making $10.5MM.

Kelly Oubre, Wizards, 22, SF (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $9.2MM deal in 2015
The Wizards have finally shown some signs of life, winning their last three games, but Oubre has been heading in the opposite direction. He’s scored in single digits in five of the last six games. He’s also been in a prolonged shooting slump, making 14% of his 3-point tries over the last nine games. The capped-out Wizards must extend a $4,485,665 qualifying offer to Oubre next June to make him a restricted free agent. If he has a down year, the Wizards’ decision will become even tougher.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.