NBA
The Raptors could look to add more depth at guard after Fred VanVleet left in free agency
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated05 Jul 2023
This offseason, Toronto’s Fred VanVleet was one of the most sought-after free agents on the market. The Houston Rockets signed VanVleet to a massive three-year, $130 million contract. VanVleet was one of the better players on Toronto’s roster and he won’t be easy to replace. So far, the Raptors have made a few moves in free agency. In order to replace VanVleet’s production, the Raptors need to continue to look for trades.
Along with VanVleet, Malachi Flynn, Jeff Dowtin Jr., and Dalano Banton, all played PG last year for the Raptors. As it stands, only one of them is under contract with Toronto. Flynn is the only player of those four that is still on the team. VanVleet got his payday and is with Houston now.
Banton signed with the Celtics and Dowtin Jr. is still a restricted free agent. It’s not going to be easy to replace VanVleet with one player. The Raptors are going to need to see who fits the role the best by trial and error.
Dennis Schröder is headed to the Raptors on a two-year, $26M deal, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/auZwbmUxKB
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 1, 2023
The Raptors know they need to add more depth at PG after Fre VanVleet’s departure
Toronto knew that the chances of VanVleet leaving this offseason were more than likely. That is why the team acted fast once free agency began last Friday. The Raptors signed veteran PG Dennis Schroder to the team on a two-year, $26 million deal.
Schroder has bounced around the NBA for the past few seasons, but he’ll be a key piece next season for the Raptors. If the team cannot sign or trade for any more depth at guard, playmaking duties could be in the hands of others. VanVleet led the Raptors with (7.2) assists per game last season.
After that, Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes combined for over 10+ assists per game. Barnes plays a unique role for the Raptors and they could transition him into a point forward. He has the speed, agility, and ball-handling skills of a guard. Barnes is six-foot-eight and has a seven-foot-two wingspan.
The Raptors could also look to trade for a veteran PG who can be a solid depth piece for next season. Ricky Rubio or Delon Wright could be potential names that the Raptors could trade for. Wright is owed $8.2 million next season and is an unrestricted free agent in 2024. Rubio is owed $6.1 million next season and is an unrestricted free agent in 2025. Toronto needs to decide which direction they want to go in order to replace VanVleet’s production.
