Built Ford Tough Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 With the recent four team sign and trade between the Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors, Canada's team was able to hold onto their Mid Level Exception , Bi-Annual Exception and the Raptors were also able to retain the Bird Rights to shooting guard Carlos Delfino. Without the sign and trade of Hedo Turkoglu that was a part of the four team trade already mentioned, Toronto would not have been able to use any of the exceptions and would've had to renounce the rights to Carlos Delfino and really give them with very few options to strengthen their bench. However, since Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo was able to pull off that sign and trade for Turkoglu, the Raptors were able to hold onto their salary cap exceptions and have plenty of options heading forward. Toronto is looking for some perimeter players to add depth to their roster and strengthen their bench. Some potential options at the shooting guard and small forward positions are: Marquis Daniels: Daniels is coming off of a strong 2008/2009 season with the Indiana Pacers in which he averaged 13.6 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game on a very respectable 45% from the field. Daniels would give the Raptors another offensive threat and would most likely start at shooting guard for the team. He is a mid range threat but he lacks three point range on his jump shot as shown by his career 23.7 three point percentage. He enjoys playing a physical game and will play a tenacious brand of defense. He seems to enjoy getting under his opponents skin and taking them out of their game. Signing Daniels would give the Raptors another threat on the offensive end, but it also gives them a gritty, physical player that would add toughness to a team that is lacking in that department. Matt Barnes: Like Marquis Daniels, Matt Barnes is a gritty player that is not afraid to mix it up with opposing players. If he were to sign with the Raptors, Barnes would bring toughness and energy off of the bench for the team. Last season with the Phoenix Suns, Barnes averaged 10.2 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game on 42% shooting. He is a three point threat although his outside jumper can be very streaky at times. Barnes plays with an edge to his game that would be very beneficial for the Raptors and would be the first one to step in for a teammate if he feels that a cheap shot was taken. Barnes aggressive style can come back to haunt his team at times though because at times he will take it too far and go over the line, which ends up costing his team in the long haul. Regardless, Barnes would be a very nice addition off of the bench if he were to end up as a member of the Toronto Raptors though and his toughness and gritty play would be welcomed with open arms. Von Wafer: Von Wafer, who played with the Houston Rockets last season, is coming off of a breakthrough season that saw him score 9.7 points a game on just under 45% from the field. Up until last season Wafer was a journeyman but he found a home with the Rockets and made the best of a great situation for him. Wafer is a good scorer off of the bench that can hurt you by driving to the rim, with his mid range jumper or even step behind the three point line and shoot from deep. Outside of scoring though, Wafer doesn't bring much else to the table as he is pretty one dimensional. He isn't a very good defender and doesn't really make plays for others. However, if the Raptors are looking for a pure scorer off of the bench, Von Wafer just may be that player for them. Flip Murray: Flip is another player that would give Toronto a scoring punch from off of the bench. He averaged 12.2 points per game last season for the Atlanta Hawks and throughout his career has played the role of an offensive spark off of the bench. He has a very good jump shot and when he catches fire can become a very dangerous player on the offensive end. One thing that makes Murray a good fit for Toronto is that he can play both the shooting guard and point guard positions. He would add insurance to the point guard position in case second year player Roko Ukic struggles to take his game to the next level and prove worthy of being a back up point guard at the NBA level. Signing Murray would not only give the Raptors some scoring punch off of the bench, it would also give them some insurance at the point guard spot. Linas Kleiza: Kleiza is a big small forward who ha spent his entire four year NBA career with the Denver Nuggets. Last season Kleiza averaged 9.9 points per game and 4 rebounds per game on just under 45% shooting. Kleiza is a big body that is not afraid of contact and physical play. At 6'8 and 245 pounds, Kleiza would give the Raptors some size and toughness off of the bench. Linas has three point range and can knock it down from deep if he is given a look, but he can be very streaky at times. The thing that I like the most about Kleiza would be the physicality and toughness that he would give Toronto off of the bench. With the European connection that Toronto has, the Lithuanian Kleiza would fit right in. *I didn't include Carlos Delfino because I think it is a guarantee that he will be back next season.* Those five players are who I think would spark the most interest from the Toronto Raptors and have a realistic chance of joining the team. The best thing of all is that aside from Marquis Daniels, nobody on this list would command the entire MLE which would allow the Raptors to add another piece to the puzzle if they wanted to. It may not even take the full MLE to get Daniels either. If the Raptors want to, they can also look to add another big man to their mix and if they do end up looking to add a big man, I don't think that we have to look any further then former Raptor Rasho Nesterovic. Rasho lives in Toronto during the off-season and has expressed that he would love to return to Toronto and put on the Raptors uniform again. He would give them a big bodied center that can play good post defense and on offense hit open jumpers. He is a player that knows his limitations and doesn't try to force anything. I would be shocked if Rasho didn't sign with the Raptors and become their backup center. Lastly, the Raptors may decide to add some point guard depth to the roster in case they don't feel that Roko Ukic will suffice as the back up point guard. If they do look at adding a point guard, some options are: Jarrett Jack: Jack played with the Indiana Pacers last season and split time with former Raptor T.J. Ford as the starting point guard. He averaged 13.1 points per game and 4.1 assists per game last season for the Pacers which was the best season of his career. Indiana have extended a qualifying offer to Jack which means that he is a restricted free agent so the Pacers are able to match any deal that is offered to Jack. This may make things a little difficult for Toronto if Indiana wants Jack back next season because the Raptors only have the MLE to offer. If the Pacers do decide to let Jack go, he would be a very good back up point guard for the Raptors, but the question is, will he accept that role? Anthony Carter: Carter is a veteran point guard that would give the Raptors some experience off of the bench. He has played in the NBA for 10 seasons and in his last season with the Denver Nuggets, Carter averaged 5.3 points per game and 4.7 assists per game. Carter is a veteran player that knows how to run an offense. He would be a valuable back up point guard due to that experience as well as the fact that he gives it his all whenever he is on the court and doesn't leave anything behind. Carter could be a very good hustle point guard for the Raptors and give them a veteran presence off of the bench. Brevin Knight: Knight didn't really have a great season last year with the Jazz as he only put up 2.4 points per game and 2.6 assists per game, but he is a savvy veteran and a pesky defender that knows how to run an offense. Knight has been around the league for a long time and is a good passer, defender and good at running an offense. He would also be a good mentor for not only Roko Ukic, but he could teach starting point guard Jose Calderon a few things as well. Knight would give the Raptors a calming, veteran presence off of the bench and a great veteran leader. Knight wouldn't make anything more than the minimum so it could be worth taking a shot on him if the Raptors are looking to add some point guard depth to the roster. So there is my list of potential free agent targets for the Toronto Raptors this off-season. I must admit, I was not a very big fan of the Hedo Turkoglu signing and didn't think that it was worth gutting the teams depth to sign Turkoglu, but after Bryan Colangelo completed the sign and trade which enabled the Raptors to keep their exceptions, I am really starting to like the move. If Colangelo can manage to get the right pieces to fill out the Raptors bench, this team could be in for a bounce back season after a disappointing 2008/2009 season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted July 11, 2009 Owner Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 I really think Kleiza would fit in the most, actually, and Barnes would give you guys that defensive presence off the bench (at the small forward slot), and a guy who can actually score the ball. Barnes is like Ariza in a way; he has a lot to work on offensively, but he practices defense, and he would be a guy you'd want to sign to a long-term deal if he shows signs of improvement in both areas of his game. Thing is, Barnes was drafted in 2002 or 2003, if I remember right, and he's not as young as Ariza (and we're talking five or six years older). Kleiza is just another player who can play big sometimes, get to the rack, or shoot the outside shot...and he just causes too many mismatch problems on the court. Both would be solid additions in Toronto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted July 11, 2009 Owner Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 ...and I'm now reading that Jarrett Jack is close to signing with Toronto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Built Ford Tough Posted July 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 (edited) ...and I'm now reading that Jarrett Jack is close to signing with Toronto. Yeah I have read that as well. As long as Indiana doesn't match the offer sheet Jack is as good as a Raptor in my opinion. I wonder what the Pacers stance is on Jack. I know that him and T.J. Ford didn't see eye to eye last season and they split the starting role. They may just let Jack walk to resolve the point guard drama that they had last season. I wouldn't mind seeing Jack as a Raptor though. He would give them some serious point guard insurance and he may also be able to play the shooting guard spot as well which gives the Raptors some options. If they do sign Jack though I can't see them making any other moves other then resiging Delfino and bringing back Rasho because I would imagine that it would take the entire MLE to sign Jack. He isn't my first choice but by no means would I be upset if they signed him. Edited July 12, 2009 by Built Ford Tough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 Pacers aren't interested in being anywhere near the lux tax. They are at -59 and as far as I know the lux tax is around -70 so unless we are offering the entire MLE I doubt the Pacers let Jarret go, he IS their starting PG. Also can someone tell me why no one is talking about Childress? Is he no a free agent? Does he want a lot of money? Get that man signed to an offer sheet BC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted July 12, 2009 Owner Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 I don't think Childress will ever be anything special in the league. He left for a reason, and I'm not quite sure it was just the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 I know he won't be anything special but he'd be a perfect starting SG for us. He is as good, if not better, than anyone else we'd be able to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldChili Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 Nice write up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland's Finest Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 Flip Murray is a guy that would make a huge difference. What he did for Cleveland and Atl in the playoffs would really help a team in Toronto that's trying to build a contender all over again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmelamare Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Toronto should sign Linas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Built Ford Tough Posted July 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2009 I know he won't be anything special but he'd be a perfect starting SG for us. He is as good, if not better, than anyone else we'd be able to get. I agree with you that Childress would've been a good fit for the Raptors but the reason that I didn't include him is because I just didn't think that there was any sort of realistic possibility that Childress would become a Raptor and as it turns out, Childress is returning to Olympiakos next season so, yeah lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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