The Beat: Ryan Wolstat On The Raptors
Nobody knows NBA teams better than beat writers, save for those who draw paychecks with an NBA owner’s signature on them. The reporters who are with the teams they cover every day gain an intimate knowledge of the players, coaches and executives they write about and develop sources who help them break news and stay on top of rumors.
We at Hoops Rumors will be chatting with beat writers from around the league and sharing their responses to give you a better perspective on how and why teams make some of their most significant moves. Last time, we spoke with Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press about the Pistons. Click here to see all the previous editions of this series.
Today, we gain insight on the Raptors from Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. You can follow Ryan on Twitter at @WolstatSun, and check out his stories right here.
Hoops Rumors: Jonas Valanciunas plateaued last season, but the Raptors signed him to a four-year, $64MM extension this summer. What can they do to help him improve and get the most out of their investment?
Ryan Wolstat: Getting him the ball more often would be a good start. Too often last season, Valanciunas was frozen out of the offense, with DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and Lou Williams needing to get theirs before the big center was fed in the post. He also needs to play more later in games, something Dwane Casey has said will happen. Valanciunas will need to get better defensively and improve as a passer out of the post to justify a bigger role.
The team has adjusted its defense a bit with [assistant coach] Andy Greer coming over from Chicago and the changes should help Valanciunas out, because the Raptors are now forcing opponents to the sideline on pick-and-rolls instead of to the middle of the floor, where Valanciunas usually couldn’t get to quickly enough.
Hoops Rumors: Where do the Raptors and Terrence Ross stand as the deadline for an extension draws near?
Ryan Wolstat: Wait and see mode. Ross played well defensively two seasons ago, but was brutal last year. An ankle injury that he had fixed in the offseason seemed to work, with Ross again looking like a plus defender early in the preseason (team-best eight steals, along with five blocks in five appearances through Sunday’s game) before rolling the surgically-repaired ankle. Offensively, Ross had really struggled though.
If Ross would sign a bargain extension, the Raptors would bite and bet on continued improvement, but most likely, they’ll see what the market will bear next year after another year to figure out exactly what Ross is.
Hoops Rumors: DeMarre Carroll swiftly turned into a quintessential three-and-D player in his two years with the Hawks. Do the Raptors need more from him to justify his four-year, $58MM contract, or is that simply the going rate for a player with his skills?
Ryan Wolstat: Considering how insane the money is getting in the NBA, the Carroll deal seems pretty fine to me. His track record isn’t as long as you’d like, but he’s been a very good player for a while now, and was by far Atlanta’s best performer in the playoffs, and that was a very good team. He’s a perfect fit both on and off the floor. He gives Toronto badly-needed size at small forward, another outside threat in the starting lineup and above-average defense and a willingness to compete against any of the NBA’s top swingmen. He also is a leader with an infectious style of play. His relentlessness, similar to how Lowry plays, already seems to be rubbing off.The Raptors would love to see the postseason version of Carroll every night, but if the regular season guy shows up, that will be fine.
Hoops Rumors: The Raptors don’t appear to have an obvious starting power forward, though they have a bunch of options at that position, with Patrick Patterson, Luis Scola, Anthony Bennett, James Johnson and Carroll. Is it enough to get by?
Ryan Wolstat: At some point, Masai Ujiri intends to field a true contender. He knows they aren’t there yet, but he also knows that to get there, an excellent two-way power forward is required. A Chris Bosh-caliber player needs to arrive at some point. For now, this group is going to have to make it work. Each gives the team something different: Patterson is an elite three-point shooter and a solid defender, but can’t rebound or score off of the dribble; Scola is still workable, but getting older and a poor fit alongside Valanciunas; Bennett has turned some heads and should be useful off of the bench as long as he continues to defend well; Carroll will play some small-ball four, but Johnson likely won’t be a factor.
Amir Johnson will be missed, but he was breaking down and was no longer reliable every night, which is a shame.
Hoops Rumors: Do the Raptors have any expectation that Bennett will produce this season, or is whatever he gives them simply a bonus?
Ryan Wolstat: Originally, the team thought he’d see most of his time in the D-League, getting huge minutes there, but Bennett has exceeded expectations. He’s been OK offensively but quite solid on the boards and defensively. He has earned a longer look, but in order to be in the rotation behind Patterson and Scola he will have to do something he never has before — stay healthy.
Hoops Rumors: How can the Raptors make up for the loss of the 15.5 points per game that Lou Williams gave them last year?
Ryan Wolstat: It won’t be as hard as it looks on paper. Williams won the team some games, but he also lost a few and took other players out of rhythm offensively because he would shoot so often.
Scola and Ross should replace a lot of that scoring and Valanciunas should get more touches as well. Cory Joseph, who has been superb in the preseason, should take care of the rest.
Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Jones, Hernangomez
Amir Johnson‘s production fell off last season with the Raptors, but the Celtics regard their free agent signee as a steal, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge is enamored with his versatility and the way he can complement any of the team’s other big men, as Forsberg notes. Johnson is just as sold on his new home.
“I like the vision, I like that we are young, and I like what they did last season coming into the playoffs,” Johnson said. “I felt like they were doing their best to get better. Just talking to [Celtics president of basketball operations] Danny [Ainge] and [coach Brad] Stevens, I love what they got going on here.”
See more on the Celtics amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:
- Stevens distanced himself from roster decisions, but he complemented Perry Jones III, who’s on the chopping block as the Celtics must offload at least one fully guaranteed salary to trim to the 15-man regular season roster limit within the week, relays Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. “I think the biggest thing for Perry is, Perry has a chance to be a very, very good multi-positional defender, and he’s got a chance to be a guy that can play off closeouts, make shots or post switches,” Stevens said. “So being able to do those things regularly is a huge key. But I’ve been impressed with what Perry can do, what he has done, especially in practice.”
- Knicks draft-and-stash prospect Guillermo Hernangomez wants to play for Real Madrid of Spain for many years before considering a move to the NBA, as he said to Emilio V. Escudero of ABC.es (translation via HoopsHype). An earlier report indicated that the Knicks were planning to sign him before the 2016/17 season. New York acquired the NBA rights to the 6’11” center via trade after the Sixers selected him 35th overall in June.
- The Sixers‘ rebuilding process is enduring criticism, but even though GM Sam Hinkie has presided over three offseasons, it’s still too early to judge the success of his plan because so many of the assets he’s acquired are for the future, opines Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Eastern Notes: Biyombo, Hornets, Hawks
The Raptors‘ signing of Bismack Biyombo for two years and $6MM appears to be a steal so far because of the center’s defense and how vocal he is on the court, Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun writes. While the Raptors have several capable scorers, Biyombo fills the role of setting screens and grabbing offensive rebounds, which should help the team a great deal, Wolstat adds. Biyombo, as Wolstat points out, is also only 23.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Veteran Damien Wilkins, undrafted rookie Aaron Harrison and third-year player Elliot Williams appear to be the candidates for the Hornets‘ final roster spot, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer details. Wilkins, Bonnell contends, has the best chance to play among the three because of his experience at small forward. The Hornets are thin at the position after Michael Kidd-Gilchrist‘s season-ending injury, as Bonnell points out. Williams likely has the smallest chance because the Hornets are deep at point guard, Bonnell adds.
- Though he was mentored by Gregg Popovich, Mike Budenholzer, who is entering his third season as head coach of the Hawks, has put his own mark on the franchise and its style of play, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. While the Hawks use a system similar to the Spurs, Budenholzer has crafted it to fit his personnel, Vivlamore adds.
- Dahntay Jones, a native of New Jersey, said he always wanted to be on the Nets, but Tim Bontemps of the New York Post writes that it’s going to require a surprising move for the team to keep the 34-year-old. That’s because the franchise has made an effort to get younger and there likely just is not a spot for Jones, Bontemps adds. The Nets, as Bontemps includes in his piece, have 13 guaranteed contracts and will likely use one of the two remaining spots on a point guard. The Nets signed Jones to a non-guaranteed deal in September.
Northwest Notes: Presti, Malone, Gobert
Thunder GM Sam Presti is looking to a fresh start in Oklahoma City with Billy Donovan taking over the coaching reins, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. The Thunder were overwhelmed by injuries last season, particularly to star Kevin Durant, and narrowly missed the Western Conference playoffs. A revival is seen as key this year with Durant becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer. “The combination of the transition to a new coaching staff, a healthy team with the benefit of seven years of experience together that is now entering its prime years, and some additions to our roster that fit our age horizon also help fortify the existing culture,” Presti said, “and has created an organizational momentum that has everyone excited about the present but also very optimistic about the future.”
There’s more news from the Northwest Division:
- New Nuggets coach Michael Malone has brought an emphasis on defense to Denver, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. Darrell Arthur said that when he was traded from the Grizzlies to the Nuggets in 2013, he was surprised how rarely defense and communication were taught by former Denver coach Brian Shaw. “It’s the exact same thing, what we did in Memphis to what coach Malone is doing,” Arthur said. “This is the way I was taught to play. I’m pretty sure this is the right way to play basketball.”
- Utah’s Rudy Gobert is among the most likely candidates for Most Improved Player honors this season, writes Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. The Jazz center finished third in voting for the award last season, but Brigham believes he can still get much better by improving his offensive game. Former Thunder guard Reggie Jackson, now with the Pistons, is also on the list, along with the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Wizards’ Bradley Beal, the Sixers’ Nerlens Noel, the Magic’s Victor Oladipo and the Raptors’ Jonas Valanciunas.
Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Joseph, Reed, Celtics
The mental challenges of the upcoming season will determine whether the Raptors‘ James Johnson can survive in the NBA, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. As Johnson enters the final year of a contract that will pay him $2.5MM this season, one of those challenges will be a shortage of playing time. Johnson is stuck behind Luis Scola and Patrick Patterson at power forward and behind Jonas Valanciunas and Bismack Biyombo at center. It’s a familiar situation for Johnson, who has never averaged more than 28 minutes per game in his six years in the league. “It’s very difficult because I know how hard James has worked, my heart goes out for him, but he’s got guys in front of him here so he’s always going to be in that role,” coach Dwane Casey said. “That’s what’s going to keep him in the league for a long time . . . him embracing that role in a positive way and being able to play multiple positions because he is such a valuable tool.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- New Raptor Cory Joseph sees the benefit of the “role cards” Casey hands out to players to remind them of his expectations, according to Mike Gantner of The Toronto Sun. The practice is new to Joseph, who signed with Toronto in July after four years in San Antonio. “It creates some structure,” he said.
- Willie Reed‘s injury leaves the Nets short on frontcourt players, writes Tim Bontemps of The New York Post. The rookie will miss six to eight weeks after having surgery to fix a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb, leaving Brooklyn with just four healthy big men — Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young, Thomas Robinson and Andrea Bargnani.
- Celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck told Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com that the organization has been adding the right type of players to build a winner. “I think we’ve brought in guys, just as an example, David Lee and Amir Johnson, we’re not bringing in divas,” said Grousbeck. “We’re bringing in guys who have been in the league and know how to do it right. And Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley, those guys aren’t worried about individual stats and they are not going to pout. They are going to get after you and try to strip the ball and try to pass it to somebody else.”
Atlantic Notes: Bennett, Zeller, Williams, Grant
People who know Anthony Bennett speak well of his character, and it appears his mission with the Raptors is to restore his self-confidence, writes Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. So far, he’s made a positive impression on coach Dwane Casey, as Lewenberg relays.
“One thing that has impressed me is his defense,” Casey said. “His defense is ahead of his offense. That was a surprise. I didn’t know he was as good a defender as he’s showed since we’ve had him, which has been very impressive. And that’s helped get ingratiated with his teammates and the staff. He’s done a good job. The main thing for him is just to relax and play, enjoy the game, get that No. 1 pick necklace off his neck and just play basketball, have fun.”
See more from the Atlantic Division:
- Tyler Zeller is glad to work with Celtics coach Brad Stevens and would like an extension before his eligibility window closes on November 2nd, but he’s OK with the prospect of not signing an extension if that’s how it plays out, as he explains to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
- Derrick Williams, confident that the triangle will be the right long-term fit for him, made up his mind to join the Knicks 10 minutes after meeting with the team, and he decided not to speak to Kings coach George Karl about re-signing with Sacramento, as Williams told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. “Nope, I didn’t really care,” Williams said. “I knew where I wanted to go.”
- Knicks team president Phil Jackson coached Horace Grant on the Bulls, and the Zen Master admits that connection gives him greater confidence in Knicks rookie Jerian Grant, Horace’s nephew, observes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Carmelo Anthony, who was reportedly upset to see Tim Hardaway Jr. go out in the trade that brought in Grant, has been impressed with the poise and ability to control the tempo that this year’s No. 19 overall pick has demonstrated, Berman notes.
Cavs Lead With 16 Free Agent Signings
The Cavaliers have drawn plenty of attention the past few months for a free agent they haven’t signed, but even though Tristan Thompson lingers in free agency, Cleveland has taken care of more free agent business than any other team in the league during the 2015 offseason. They signed 16 free agents, three more than the Spurs, the team that recorded the next most free agent signings. The Cavs just made their latest signing this weekend, replacing Michael Dunigan with Dionte Christmas on the camp roster.
It might be easy to presume a direct correlation between free agent activity and success, given the teams at the very top and bottom of the list below. The Cavs and Spurs are strong bets to win their respective conferences this season, while the Jazz, Timberwolves and Sixers are nowhere near the title picture. The presence of the Warriors and Thunder on the bottom half of the list and the Kings and Nets close to the top debunk that theory, however. It has more to do with the fact that the Cavs had only four players signed for 2015/16 when they ended last season, while the Jazz had 13. Cleveland simply had more jobs to hand out.
Still, other factors are at play, since free agent signings don’t encompass draft picks, draft-and-stash signings, trades or waiver claims. The Trail Blazers made significant changes to their roster, but they did much of their work via trade instead of free agency. The Rockets had 10 players under contract on July 1st, but they still wound up making 11 free agent signings.
Here’s a look at the number of free agent signings for each team. Click the team’s name to see the names of each of their signees via our 2015 Free Agent Tracker.
- Cavaliers, 16
- Mavericks, 13
- Spurs, 13
- Kings, 12
- Knicks, 12
- Nets, 12
- Pelicans, 12
- Rockets, 11
- Clippers, 10
- Grizzlies, 10
- Suns, 10
- Heat, 9
- Pacers, 9
- Raptors, 9
- Bulls, 8
- Hawks, 8
- Magic, 8
- Wizards, 8
- Bucks, 7
- Celtics, 7
- Hornets, 7
- Lakers, 7
- Nuggets, 7
- Warriors, 7
- Pistons, 6
- Thunder, 6
- Trail Blazers, 6
- 76ers, 5
- Timberwolves, 5
- Jazz, 4
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Cavs, Raptors
Carmelo Anthony used to despise Sasha Vujacic back when both played in the Western Conference, but now that the combo guard is a member of the Knicks, Anthony sees it from a different perspective, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes. The Knicks signed Vujacic to a guaranteed deal during the summer.
“We got into it a couple of times,” Anthony said. “He was one of them little dirty players, sneaky, grab your jersey, foul you after the play. He was speaking in his language and now I understand what he was saying to me — it makes me hate him even more back then. Having him on my team is a big plus, knowing how feisty he is. He’s a vet. He knows how to play the game. He knows the system. I think having him is a big plus.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Joe Harris is a lock to make the Cavs‘ regular season roster, reports Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Harris’ salary for this upcoming season is guaranteed at $845,059, as Haynes points out.
- The development of Otto Porter, who projects to be the Wizards‘ starting small forward, especially defensively for Washington this season, will be vital for the Wizards’ success, J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic writes.
- Anthony Bennett is playing with a sense of urgency and is impressing on defense for the Raptors, Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun writes. Toronto signed Bennett to just a one-year deal for the minimum salary after he was waived by the Wolves.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Sixers, Knicks
There is already some added intensity from Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, and the fact that he is now in the final guaranteed year of the three-year extension (the final year of the deal next season is a team option) he signed in May 2014 likely has something to do with it, Mike Ganter of the Torono Sun writes. Casey would like to see better defense out of the Raptors, who are in win-now mode, Ganter adds.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- There is no reason to panic — not yet, at least, from the Sixers‘ perspective — about Jahlil Okafor‘s performances offensively because the team spent all of training camp working on defense and even highly-touted rookies experience a learning curve, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
- Kyle O’Quinn is comfortable playing for the Knicks because the versatile 6’10” power forward grew up a Knicks fan and lived in nearby Queens, Zach Braziller of the New York Post details. “Being in the home locker room, putting on the white jersey, it felt good,” O’Quinn said. “My mom was there, she was happy to be there. It was a good feeling being at the Garden. It was definitely a good feeling getting a win at the Garden.” The Knicks acquired O’Quinn in a sign-and-trade with the Magic during the summer. O’Quinn received a four-year, $16MM deal from the Knicks.
Pacific Notes: Upshaw, Warren, Williams
Lakers rookie center Robert Upshaw saw his first NBA preseason action during the team’s 105-97 loss to the Raptors on Thursday, and the young big man contributed six points, three rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one turnover in 25 minutes. When asked to assess Upshaw’s first showing for the team, coach Byron Scott said, “He was OK. He made a ton of mistakes on both ends of the floor. That’s probably to be expected in his first game,” Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News relays.
Scott was pleased with how Upshaw is physically rounding into shape, as well as the athleticism Upshaw displayed during Thursday’s contest, Medina adds. “That’s something we didn’t see in summer league,” Scott said. “In summer league, he was much heavier than he is right now. He’s in much better condition right now. He’s much lighter getting up and down the floor. He’s getting off his feet much better. We’re able to see some of the things we kept hearing about.”
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said that T.J. Warren‘s overall game has improved since last season, and it may make his decision regarding the team’s regular season starter at small forward difficult, writes Matt Petersen of NBA.com. “When we can get him the ball and get him opportunities, he makes the plays,” Hornacek said. “Defensively, he’s much better than he was last year. I like what he’s doing defensively on guys. He’s taking challenges. He’s got a great knack.” P.J. Tucker is Phoenix’s incumbent starter at the three.
- Despite winning the 2014/15 Sixth Man of the Year award, the Raptors didn’t make an effort to re-sign Lou Williams this offseason, but according to Raptors coach Dwane Casey, “It wasn’t for the fact that we didn’t like Lou or want Lou,” Bill Oram of The Orange County Register tweets.
- Williams, who signed a three-year, $21MM deal with the Lakers back in July, was allowed to depart because Toronto had more pressing roster concerns, and not because the Raptors didn’t think he was a valuable player, Oram writes in a full-length piece. “He has a huge value,” Casey said of Williams, “but it depends on the other needs that you have on the team. He won a lot of games last year for us with his scoring. We had nights where we had nothing going, and he would come in and change the game with his scoring. And there’s a value. There’s a huge value to that.”