Toronto Raptors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers May Be Slipping In Battle For Kawhi Leonard

November 5th, 2018 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Playing in front of Kawhi Leonard Sunday night, the Lakers didn’t make a strong case to attract the impending free agent, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Leonard sat out the game with a sore left foot, but watched his Raptors teammates take an early 41-10 lead on the way to a comfortable victory.

A Southern California native, Leonard has reportedly expressed a desire to return to the West Coast once he opts out of his contract next summer. However, there has been talk that he prefers the Clippers, where he could be the top star, rather than joining the Lakers and serving as a sidekick to LeBron James.

Leonard has been guarded in his public statements, but he did mention the Lakers in a weekend interview, saying he wasn’t a fan of the team while growing up.

“I wasn’t at all,” he said. “My family was, but I wasn’t. I liked Allen Iverson, I was an A.I. fan, so I didn’t like the Lakers.”

That statement could be interpreted as bad new for the Lakers, who will be in the market for a second star to team with James. At one time, they were hoping Paul George would be headed to L.A., but he was traded to the Thunder and opted to re-sign there. According to Bontemps, the Raptors are confident they can repeat that scenario with Leonard.

At 9-1, Toronto is tied with Golden State for the league’s best record. The team is two-deep at every position and has plenty of talent for first-year coach Nick Nurse to adjust the lineup to fit the opponent. Raptors officials believe a full season of success will encourage Leonard to re-sign with the organization, which will have the Bird rights advantages of being able to offer him a longer contract and larger raises than anyone else.

Bontemps envisions a sales pitch where team president Masai Ujiri and GM Bobby Webster emphasize the advantages of playing with a young roster that can be an Eastern Conference contender for several years, along with a rabid fan base that has already welcomed Leonard as a hero. It’s still uncertain whether that will be enough, but Toronto’s plans for keeping Leonard couldn’t be working out any better.

Raptors’ Leonard Will Sit Back-To-Backs As He Suffers Jammed Foot

November 3rd, 2018 at 9:10am CST by marksuleymanov

The Raptors‘ prized offseason acquisition, Kawhi Leonard, left the team’s Friday night win with a jammed foot, head coach Nick Nurse told reporters, including ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.

“He jammed his foot,” Nurse said. “It didn’t seem to be too bad. They are still evaluating it. But we figured, end of the game, leave him out and let them evaluate it. But it’s not an ankle, or anything. It’s a jammed foot.”

Leonard appeared to suffer the injury late in the fourth quarter as he battled in the paint during a Toronto possession. Both he and Nurse appeared to be under the same impression that the injury is minor.

“I think it’s going to be all right, nothing major,” Leonard said postgame. “I just pushed off on it and kind of rolled it and I wanted to get it looked at.”

The 27-year-old has played well this season, averaging 27.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 5.0 APG for the Raptors in seven games. He has sat out two games as part of back-to-backs for Toronto.

While this injury does not appear serious, Leonard did play in just nine games for the Spurs last season due to a right quad injury. It will be important for the Raptors to monitor Leonard’s health as they attempt to hold onto the Eastern Conference’s best record.

As Bontemps noted in the story, the Raptors will continue resting Leonard on back-to-back days to ease him back into the grind of the season.

“I feel healthy now, and they just don’t want to rush into things,” Leonard said. “I don’t either. It’s a long season, so we’re thinking about the long road.”

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Atlantic Division

November 2nd, 2018 at 9:17pm 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 those players’ stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Atlantic Division:

Spencer Dinwiddie, Nets, 25, PG (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $3.9MM deal in 2016
Dinwiddie has been one of the biggest bargains in the league over the past couple of years but he figures to get a hefty pay raise next summer. Dinwiddie may not be the prototypical point guard but he can carry an offense at times. He’s averaging 14.9 PPG while shooting 48.9% overall and 43.5% from long range. He’s a career 32.5% 3-point shooter, so if he can establish himself as a solid long-range threat, he’ll be even more valuable. He had a 25-point outburst, all after halftime, and made the game-winning shot against his former team, the Pistons, on Wednesday.

Damyean Dotson, Knicks, 24, SG (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $4MM deal in 2017
Dotson has a non-guaranteed salary next season. It’s hard to see the Knicks cutting a productive player on a dirt-cheap deal loose unless they hit the jackpot on a couple of top level free agents and need to open up more cap space. Dotson, a second-round pick last summer, has taken advantage of an injury to rookie Kevin Knox, scoring in double digits in each of the last six games. He’s also been a factor on the boards, averaging nearly six per game. Dotson has earned coach David Fizdale’s trust, though it will be interesting to see how much his minutes drop when Knox returns.

Wilson Chandler, Sixers, 31, SF (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $46.5MM deal in 2015
The Sixers were hoping that Chandler would be a key component of their second unit. They’re still waiting to see if that’s the case, as Chandler has yet to make his Philadelphia debut due to a hamstring injury. Chandler has been durable in recent seasons, appearing in at least 71 games for the Nuggets the past three seasons, but he’s at the point of his career where injuries could be a growing concern.

Marcus Morris, Celtics, 29, PF (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $20MM deal in 2015
Brad Stevens has a lot of quality pieces to fit but Morris doesn’t need to worry about his rotation spot. He’s posting averages of 14.4 PPG and 7.4 RPG in 25.6 MPG off the bench while guarding three different positions. Those stats are even more impressive on a loaded team with a lot of mouths to feed. Morris is due for a huge pay increase after signing a team-friendly deal with the Suns three years ago.

Greg Monroe, Raptors, 28, C (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $2.17MM deal in 2018
Monroe is the type of player who’s getting phased out of the league. He’s a low-post scorer with slow feet who has difficulty making defensive switches. He’s made only two brief appearances with the Raptors thus far and will likely remain at the end of the bench unless injuries pile up. Monroe will likely have to settle for a similar contract in free agency next summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Atlantic Notes: Leonard, Celtics, Splitter, Korkmaz

November 1st, 2018 at 7:51pm CST by JD Shaw

The Raptors are taking a long view on Kawhi Leonard, ensuring that he remains in good health throughout the rest of the season, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports writes. The team rested Leonard against the undefeated Bucks on Monday, the first half of a back-to-back set against Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

Leonard missed most of last season with a quad injury and has spent this season regaining his stamina, working to get back into a consistent game shape. He’s averaged 27.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 3.2 APG so far on the year.

“It feels good, [I] just don’t want to overdo it too early since I missed out on a year,” Leonard said about his quad. “It’s just injury prevention, so [I’m] just not playing back-to-backs for right now.”

When healthy, Leonard is a top-tier defender who’s improved vastly on the offensive end. The Raptors acquired him in a trade with the Spurs this past offseason, labeling him as a player who could lead the team to a deep playoff run.

Toronto is scheduled for 12 back-to-backs on the season. It’s unclear how long Leonard will rest for these sets, with the 27-year-old in his eighth NBA season.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Several Warriors players have labeled the Celtics as the biggest threat in their quest to a three-peat this season, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick. Players such as Kevin Durant and Draymond Green recognized the strengths of Boston, including the team’s ability to switch on defense and their depth off the bench.
Former NBA center Tiago Splitter has spent this season with the Nets sharing coaching and scouting duties. “Our goal this year is to improve last year’s result when we had 28 wins,” Splitter said, according to Nets Daily. “We want to do more than that, but we also think about the long run.” Splitter retired last February and joined the Nets in a dual role shortly after.
Derek Bodner of The Athletic examines the Sixers‘ decision to decline the third-year option in Furkan Korkmaz‘s contract. Philadelphia will have an extra $2MM in cap space next summer as a result, and Korkmaz will reach free agency on July 1.

Brown Looks To Make Most Of Roster Spot; Ujiri Betting On Raptors' Culture

October 31st, 2018 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Given the presence of Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, and Delon Wright on their roster, the Raptors don’t necessarily need a fourth point guard, but Lorenzo Brown has earned a roster spot in Toronto and is ready to make the most of it. Blake Murphy of The Athletic has the story, along with quotes from Brown.
In an interesting piece for ESPN.com, Anthony Olivieri takes a deep dive into the big bet Raptors president Masai Ujiri is making on his franchise’s culture following this summer’s blockbuster acquisition of Kawhi Leonard.

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Atlantic Division

October 31st, 2018 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2018/19 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

Heading into the 2018/19 season, the Atlantic was viewed as a two-tiered division, with the contenders (the Celtics, Raptors, and Sixers) in a different class than the probable lottery teams (the Nets and Knicks). Still, while the Nets and Knicks still look like the eventual sellers in the division, the contenders may also have some players who emerge as trade candidates for potential deadline deals.

Here’s our early-season look at a few possible trade candidates from the Atlantic…

Courtney Lee, G/F
New York Knicks
$12.25MM cap hit; guaranteed $12.76MM salary in 2019/20

Given the Knicks’ status as a rebuilding team and their desire to clear more cap room for 2019, Lee represents one of the most obvious trade candidates in the league. His contract isn’t unwieldy, he’s coming off a strong year (12.0 PPG on .454/.406/.919 shooting), and he’s a solid locker-room presence.

The only problem? He’s not healthy. Lee has yet to appear in a game this season due to neck issues, and the Knicks have been unable to pinpoint what exactly is causing the spasms in the swingman’s neck.

With no mandate to win this season and the trade deadline still more than three months away, the Knicks can afford to be patient with Lee and wait for him to get fully healthy. His trade market is unlikely to heat up until he gets back on the court and shows that he’s 100%.

Furkan Korkmaz, G
Philadelphia 76ers
$1.74MM cap hit; $2.03MM team option for 2019/20

Even before Korkmaz made comments this week about just wanting a chance to play, he looked like a potential trade candidate for the 76ers. Three or four years ago, Korkmaz probably would have been getting 25 minutes per night on the Process Sixers, but there’s no room for him in the team’s current rotation and it’s not clear if that will change anytime soon.

It will be interesting to see whether Philadelphia decides to pick up Korkmaz’s 2019/20 option today. The cost is so modest that it seems like a no-brainer, but the Sixers will be looking to maximize their cap room next summer. If Korkmaz isn’t in their plans and the 76ers aren’t confident in their ability to trade him, that option may well be declined. If it’s exercised, Korkmaz could be an appealing low-cost trade target for a team willing to develop him.

For instance, the Sixers and Cavaliers reportedly discussed a Kyle Korver/Jerryd Bayless swap in the offseason, but were unable to agree on draft compensation in such a deal. Now that the Cavs are focusing more on finding minutes for their young players, perhaps attaching Korkmaz and a second-round pick to Bayless’ expiring contract would be enough for Philadelphia to land Korver.

If the Sixers explore trading Korkmaz, they seem more likely to try to attach him to a larger deal like that than to simply try moving him for a second-round pick, considering how many future second-rounders they’ve already stockpiled.

C.J. Miles, F
Toronto Raptors
$8.33MM cap hit; $8.73MM player option for 2019/20

Given the way the Raptors are playing so far this season, there’s certainly no need for the 7-1 squad to shake things up just for the sake of it. But there are a couple why it might make sense to eventually gauge the market for Miles: Toronto is over the tax line and may have too many solid role players once everyone is healthy.

A high-volume three-point shooter who has made 36.0% of his career attempts from beyond the arc, Miles provides value as a player who can stretch defenses and attract attention whenever he’s on the court. He’s off to a slow start this season though (.231 3PT%) and the Raptors don’t need his shooting as much after acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green over the summer — Miles’ 14.0 minutes per game would be his lowest mark in over a decade.

If the Raptors do try to reduce their tax bill, Miles and Norman Powell ($9.37MM) would be the team’s most obvious trade candidates based on the disparity between their salaries and their roles. A proven veteran like Miles, who has two years left on his contract compared to Powell’s four, may be the easier player to move.

Previously:

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Central (10/25)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Raptors Exercise 2019/20 Options On Siakam, Anunoby

October 31st, 2018 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have exercised their 2019/20 rookie scale options on forwards Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, the team has announced in a press release. We learned earlier today that the team would be passing on Malachi Richardson‘s ’19/20 option.

Siakam’s fourth-year option will count for just $2,351,839 on Toronto’s cap next season, while Anunoby’s third-year option is even more modest, coming in at $2,281,800. The Raptors may be over the tax line again next season if Kawhi Leonard re-signs, but exercising the options on Siakam and Anunoby was an easy decision for the team, given the on-court value the duo provides.

Siakam, the 27th overall pick in the 2016 draft, has started seven of the Raptors’ eight games this season and has looked better than ever, with 10.9 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, and 1.3 SPG, plus a .594 FG%. Anunoby has missed a few games early in the season for personal reasons, but continues to develop into a reliable three-and-D wing.

The Raps will face more decisions on Siakam and Anunoby after July 1, 2019, when Siakam will become eligible for a rookie scale extension and the club will have the opportunity to pick up Anunoby’s fourth-year option for 2020/21.

Raptors To Decline Malachi Richardson’s Option

October 31st, 2018 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors won’t pick up Malachi Richardson‘s fourth-year option for the 2019/20 season, reports Michael Scotto of The Athletic (via Twitter). The decision ensures that Richardson will become an unrestricted free agent during the summer of 2019.

Richardson, the 22nd overall pick in 2016, was acquired by the Kings on draft night and spent a season and a half in Sacramento before being sent to the Raptors at last season’s trade deadline. The former Syracuse standout was never able to establish a consistent role with the Kings and hasn’t played much in Toronto either, appearing in just six games for the club since February’s trade.

The $2,581,597 cap hit on Richardson’s 2019/20 option was modest, but every dollar will count for the Raptors, especially if they’re able to re-sign Kawhi Leonard — in that scenario, the team would almost certainly be in luxury tax territory, so replacing Richardson with a minimum-salary player would create substantial savings.

While the Raptors have yet to make an official announcement on 2019/20 rookie scale options, their other decisions are easy ones, as they’ll surely be picking up the options for Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby.

Kawhi Leonard Resting Vs. Bucks

October 29th, 2018 at 12:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Giannis Antetokounmpo, who initially returned to Saturday night’s game after taking a blow to the head, has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol and will miss at least Monday’s game against Toronto, the Bucks announced today. The Raptors will be without their own star player, having announced that Kawhi Leonard will rest in the first game of the club’s back-to-back set.

Raptors Not Looking To Trade Valanciunas

October 26th, 2018 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

Jonas Valanciunas is no longer an every-night starter for the Raptors, but he’s been very productive in a reduced role for the team and there are no plans to move him, sources tell Deveney.

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