Raptors GM Talks DeRozan, Casey, Offseason
Speaking to the media today at his season-ending press conference, Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri admitted that he’s not sure “how possible it is” to bring back all of the team’s free agents, including both DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo (Twitter links via Raptors reporter Eric Koreen). Ujiri stressed that the team wants to bring back both of its top free agents, but cautioned that “sometimes those things are difficult or challenging.”
Asked specifically about the possibility of offering DeRozan a max contract this summer, Ujiri deflected the inquiry, suggesting that it’s a question to answer at a later time. The GM did say that DeRozan will be the Toronto’s top priority this offseason, however (Twitter links via Koreen).
Here’s more from Ujiri’s session with local reporters:
- In the wake of the Raptors’ Game 6 loss to the Cavaliers, a report surfaced indicating that Toronto is expected to offer head coach Dwane Casey a new contract. Ujiri confirmed that today, suggesting that he has been in touch with Casey’s agent and expects a deal to get done sooner rather than later (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN).
- Last week, ESPN’s Zach Lowe wrote that Casey likely would have lost his job if the Raptors had lost to Indiana in the first round of the postseason. Today, Ujiri deflected that subject, telling reporters that he can’t say what would have happened in that scenario, since the team ultimately didn’t lose the series (Twitter link via Koreen).
- Ujiri acknowledged that power forward is a position the Raptors need to improve, indicating that the team will get creative there (Twitter link via Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun). Getting a solid backup at the three is another priority for Toronto, per Ujiri (Twitter link via Sportsnet’s Michael Grange).
- Raptors coaches may not want to add two first-round rookies to the roster, according to Ujiri, who said today that he’s open to any moves involving the ninth and 27th overall draft picks (Twitter link via Koreen).
- Per Ujiri, Raptors ownership has always given him the freedom to enter tax territory with the team’s payroll — the GM is waiting until it makes sense to do so (Twitter link via Wolstat).
Biyombo Likely Done In Toronto
- Bismack Biyombo’s playoff performance virtually assures his future won’t be in Toronto, claims Scott Stinson of the National Post. Biyombo put up dazzling numbers after Jonas Valanciunas was sidelined by a sprained ankle and may have earned a maximum contract. Valanciunas has a four-year, $64MM extension that begins next season, and Stinson doesn’t think the Raptors want to give huge money to two centers.
And-Ones: Zanik, Kidd, Brown, Cousins
The Bucks will hire Justin Zanik as GM-in-waiting and are working on a contract extension for coach Jason Kidd, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Currently an assistant GM in Utah, Zanik will have a similar title with the Bucks. A provision of the move is that Zanik will eventually take over for Milwaukee GM John Hammond, although it’s uncertain when that will happen. Hammond has been GM of the Bucks since 2008 and has one year left on his contract.
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- California forward Jaylen Brown worked out for the Bucks, Raptors and Sixers today, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. A source told Spears that Brown was in “great shape” and “super explosive.” He is expected to be a top 10 pick and could be in the running for the No. 3 choice. New Timberwolves GM Scott Layden also traveled to California to see Brown and came away impressed, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
- Oklahoma point guard Isaiah Cousins worked out for the Suns on Friday, and has upcoming sessions with the Raptors on Tuesday and the Hawks on Thursday, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
- Anthony Bennett and Quinn Cook were the most recognizable players invited to a Nets mini-camp this week, according to NetsDaily. Bennett, the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft, played 19 games with the Raptors last season. Cook, the point guard on Duke’s 2015 NCAA title team, was cut by the Cavaliers in training camp. Also receiving invitations were Alex Stepheson, Scotty Hopson, Alex Kirk, Jerrelle Benimon, Fuquan Edwin, D.J. Newbill, Will Cummings, Jarrid Famous, Victor Rudd, Josh Magette and Joel Wright. International journalist David Pick says the Nets are planning another session.
Community Shootarond: Bismack Biyombo
Since the playoffs began back in mid-April, no player has done more to help himself in free agency than Raptors center Bismack Biyombo.
Stuck in a back-up role behind Jonas Valanciunas, Biyombo averaged 5.5 points and 8.0 rebounds during the regular season. But Valanciunas’ badly sprained ankle and Biyombo’s huge performance in his place have made the 6’9″ native of the Congo one of this summer’s most talked-about free agents.
Two months ago, the Raptors were hoping Biyombo would waive his player option and accept a $2.94MM contract for next season. But he demolished any chance of that with a 26-rebound, four-block performance in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. On the heels of a 17-point, 16-rebound effort in Game 7 against Miami, it established Biyombo as a dominant paint presence who was at his best when the games mattered most.
After Toronto’s season ended Friday, Biyombo announced his intention to opt out, a decision that could earn him more than five times the salary that he leaves behind. With a rising cap and a shortage of quality big men, it won’t be surprising if a team offers him a deal that starts at more than $16MM per year.
The situation was unthinkable when Biyombo signed with Toronto last summer. He was close to being a bust during his four seasons in Charlotte, averaging more than 27 minutes per game just once and topping 5 points per game only in his rookie season. That’s why the Raptors were able to get him cheaply, giving him about $3MM for this season, plus next year’s player option.
Biyombo’s sudden good fortune has put Toronto in a bind. Because his contract was so short, the Raptors don’t own Biyombo’s Bird rights, which means whatever money they offer him has to come out of cap room. Assuming DeMar DeRozan opts out, Toronto will have a little more than $70MM in salary for next season against an estimated $92MM cap. Unless they renounce DeRozan or gut the roster through trades, it’s hard to see how the Raptors get close to a $16MM offer.
Earlier today, Biyombo said he prefers to stay with in Toronto, but that might change once he studies the economic realities of the situation. No matter what personal feelings Biyombo may have for the city and the organization, he’s likely to end up with the highest bidder.
That brings us to tonight’s question, which is a two-parter: Where do you expect to see Biyombo playing next season and will he be able to live up to a giant contract? No matter how much the NBA moves to smaller lineups and 3-point shooting, there will always be a demand for rebounders and shot blockers. And with the cap soaring this summer, almost every team will have the money to offer at least one max contract.
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
Raptors Notes: DeRozan, Biyombo, Lowry, Cousins
The Raptors’ top two impending free agents offered clues to their future as they cleared out their lockers this morning. In the wake of Friday’s Game 6 loss to the Cavaliers, shooting guard DeMar DeRozan sounded like he has made up his mind to stay in Toronto, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. “I don’t think so,” DeRozan said when asked if he thought he could find a better situation in free agency. “My mindset has always been Toronto. … I don’t want to switch it up now.” In response to a question about playing his entire career with one organization, DeRozan replied, “I think that’s the most incredible thing you can do. … That’s awesome.” (Twitter link). DeRozan, 26, has spent seven years with the Raptors, who took him ninth overall in the 2009 draft. He is expected to turn down a $9.5MM option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent. Toronto can offer a five-year deal worth $144.6MM, while other teams will be limited to four years and $107.4MM. DeRozan also seemed to dismiss rumors that he might be interested in returning to his hometown of Los Angeles and signing with the Lakers. “Only thing appealing to me is the things I’ve done in this organization and the things I can do,” he said. (Twitter link).
Bismack Biyombo also expressed a preference for staying in Toronto, and said he has overheard GM Masai Ujiri state that he will do “whatever it takes” to keep the big man (Twitter link). “I love it up here and I would love to be back,” said Biyombo, who has a shot at getting maximum offers after his playoff performance. Biyombo, who has already decided to opt out of his $2.9MM deal for next season, adds that he would be willing to remain in a reserve role behind Jonas Valanciunas if necessary. “For me it’s about winning,” Biyombo said. “Starting or not starting, it doesn’t matter.” (Twitter link).
There’s more out of Toronto:
- Kyle Lowry will undergo a physical later today, and the Raptors will determine whether the point guard needs surgery on his right elbow, Lewenberg tweets. Lowry offered support to coach Dwane Casey, saying, “That man is the all-time winningest coach here. He’s been great. … He’s grown every year since I’ve been here.” Casey is expected to receive an extension after being on shaky ground heading into the playoffs.
- James Johnson and Jason Thompson won’t be back in Toronto, and Luis Scola and Biyombo could be leaving as well, opines Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. Wolstat writes that the Raptors’ biggest offseason challenge will be to add more shooting to the lineup without breaking up the current core. He also expects turnover on the Toronto bench, where Andy Greer, Rex Kalamian and Nick Nurse have all been rumored for other jobs.
- Oklahoma point guard Isaiah Cousins will work out for the Raptors on Tuesday, tweets Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
Raptors Expected To Offer Casey An Extension
The Raptors are expected to discuss a contract extension with head coach Dwane Casey in the near future, league sources told ESPN.com’s Marc Stein following the team’s elimination from the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night. The Raptors hold a $4MM option on Casey’s contract for next season.
The 59-year-old Casey has been the team’s head coach for five seasons. The Raptors have won at least 48 regular-season games the last three seasons, including 56 this past season while winning the Atlantic Division for the third consecutive year. The Raptors were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs the last two seasons prior to their run to the conference finals this spring.
Casey’s status was tenuous entering the postseason and league sources told ESPN.com’s Zach Lowe that Casey would have lost his job if the Raptors didn’t get past the Pacers in the first round.
Casey’s extension will likely be similar to the one Terry Stotts received from the Trail Blazers after their playoff run, according to Stein. Stotts agreed to a three-year extension worth approximately $5.5MM per season.
Raptors To Work Out Isaiah Cousins
- Former Oklahoma shooting guard Isaiah Cousins has a workout scheduled with the Raptors on May 31st, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv tweets. Cousins is a potential second-rounder, with Givony slotting him No. 67 overall.
Bismack Biyombo To Command $16MM+ Per Year?
Bismack Biyombo and his Raptors teammates had a poor showing on Wednesday night in Cleveland, but Biyombo’s performance over the course of the postseason – and particularly in the Eastern Conference Finals – has increased his value significantly as he prepares to enter free agency. Biyombo is unlikely to command a maximum contract, but at least one Eastern Conference general manager believes the big man will land a deal worth $16MM+ per year, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
“For someone like (Biyombo), I think when you look at a guy like Tyson Chandler and what he got from Phoenix last summer (four years, $52MM), that’s where you start for a contract,” the GM said. “But you factor in the cap spike and it’s probably going to be high, I’d say, $16-17 million. It’ll be a heck of a $17 million-per-year gamble.”
Another Eastern Conference exec predicted to Deveney that Biyombo will receive an even higher annual salary in free agency, suggesting that a three-year, $60MM deal is within the realm of possibility. Meanwhile, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post tweets that he was also told yesterday that the Raptors center figures to be in line for $16MM+ per year.
Biyombo technically has a player option for 2016/17, which he could exercise to remain with the Raptors, but since that option would pay just $2.94MM, there’s no chance he won’t elect to test the market instead. And since Biyombo has been in Toronto for just one season, the team only holds his Non-Bird rights. That means that, unless the Raptors renounce DeMar DeRozan‘s rights or get creative elsewhere on the roster, there’s virtually no chance that the club will be able to retain Biyombo if his price gets anywhere close to $16MM annually.
So which teams might be fits for Biyombo? Deveney suggests a few possible suitors, including the Celtics, Lakers, Trail Blazers, and potentially the Bulls and Rockets. Whichever team lands the former seventh overall pick would likely be expecting him to start, given his projected salary, which is something Biyombo probably wouldn’t do in Toronto as long as Jonas Valanciunas is healthy.
“Tyson Chandler, Ben Wallace, someone like that, that is what you hope he becomes next year,” the aforementioned Eastern GM said of Biyombo. “He is never going to be a big-time offensive guy. But as much scoring that goes out to the perimeter, that would not matter on a lot of rosters. He can be a starter somewhere.”
Nathan Boothe To Work Out For Raptors
In a conversation with the Russian newspaper Izvestia, Sergey Karasev‘s father Vasily Karasev – the coach of the year in the Russian league – was asked about his son’s future. According to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando, the elder Karsev replied that it’s too early to say where his son will land, but they intend to consider all options in both the NBA and Europe. He then added an interesting kicker: “One thing is for sure, Sergey won’t play for the Nets next season.”
As Nets Daily observes, Sergey Karasev previously contradicted comments from his father when Vasily suggested that his son wanted to be traded by the Nets. So the elder Karsev’s comments this time around don’t necessarily guarantee anything. But it certainly sounds as if the 22-year-old, who had his team option declined by Brooklyn, will thoroughly explore outside opportunities this summer, and there’s a good chance he’ll be wearing a different uniform in the fall.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- After working out for Utah, seven-foot prospect Thon Maker has workouts lined up with the Hawks (Friday), Pistons, and Pacers, a source tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Maker has received some first-round buzz following a recent audition in New York City.
- Former Toledo power forward Nathan Boothe will work out for the Raptors next Tuesday, sources tell Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (Twitter link). Boothe has had workouts with Brooklyn, Detroit, and Utah so far in the pre-draft process.
- Bobby Marks of The Vertical previews the offseason for the Heat, who will need to find talent outside of the draft this year since they don’t have either of their two picks.
- If the Pistons keep the 18th overall pick in this year’s draft, there’s a good chance they use it on a point guard, according to David Mayo of MLive.com, who identifies a few possible targets at the position. However, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details, Detroit should have no shortage of options with the pick.
Raptors Will Have Difficult Time Retaining Biyombo
If the Raptors had failed to make it past the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs, coach Dwane Casey would have likely lost his job, league sources told Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. The other notable development in Toronto during the postseason is the stellar play of center Bismack Biyombo, who is likely pricing himself out of a return to the Raptors with the team only holding the big man’s Non-Bird rights, Lowe notes. Some rival executives are wondering if the team will try and trade center Jonas Valanciunas this offseason in order to create the necessary cap room to re-sign Biyombo, the scribe relays.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Magic point guard Elfrid Payton could be one of the players who will benefit most from the arrival of new coach Frank Vogel, and the young playmaker is pleased with the hire, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders relays. “I’m pretty excited,” Payton said of Vogel coaching the Magic. “I trust [GM] Rob [Hennigan], so whatever he’s with, I’m with. … Coach and I spoke briefly. Everybody [on the team] seems pretty excited about the hire.”
- The Pistons could benefit by adding depth at point guard via the draft and potential targets for the team include Wade Baldwin (Vanderbilt), Demetrius Jackson (Notre Dame) and Tyler Ulis (Kentucky), David Mayo of MLive opines. The top two point guards, Kris Dunn (Providence) and Jamal Murray (Kentucky), are expected to be off the board when Detroit selects at No. 18 overall. Mayo notes.
- Former Wizards coach Randy Wittman relates well to veteran players, gets his roster to buy in defensively and has a career record that compares favorably to Vogel, new Kings coach Dave Joerger and new Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek, J. Michael of CSNMid-Atlantic writes in his look at Wittman’s chances of landing another head coaching slot.