Toronto Raptors made the right call declining Malachi Richardson’s option

The Toronto Raptors decided to decline the fourth-year option on Malachi Richardson’s contract. Here’s why it was the right decision.

The Toronto Raptors decided to decline the fourth-year option on Malachi Richardson. The decision was made on October 31st, the last possible moment (there is no real advantage to choose at an earlier date), and likely (but not necessarily) will put an end to Richardson’s Raptor career.

Under the current collective bargaining agreement, all first-round rookies have a team option for their respective third and fourth years. The team must decide on the option on October 31st of the preceding year, about one full season prior to the offseason.

Toronto is declining the fourth-year option of Malachi Richardson’s contract. As I wrote about before the season, Richardson’s option was likely a tough decision for the Raptors front office. His cost is low enough, and he has shown enough potential to intrigue the front-office, but not enough to justify guaranteeing another year.

Richardson’s resume

Due to his limited time on the court, it’s hard to judge Malachi based on his career statistics. With only 550 total minutes, 517 of which came with the Sacramento Kings, no definitive judgment can be made based on regular season film alone.

This year in Summer League, I actually thought Richardson showed some improvement. He took a few opponents off the bounce and played with more aggression than what we have seen so far in his young career.

Ultimately, his lack of play became too damning. As a first-round pick playing for a lackluster team, Richardson couldn’t find the court. The Kings’ coaching staff gave JaKarr Sampson the same amount of minutes. Not a great sign.

He earned a couple of minutes the past few games, but when this team is fully healthy, no-one expects young Malachi to see the court.

The cost of Richardson

Malachi Richardson’s deal is worth $2.6 million, approximately $1 million more than the league minimum. $1 million is chump change, but when you project the tax-bill Toronto is looking at next season, that million can quickly multiply.

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If the Raptors are in a similar cap-situation next year, that additional $1 million will add an additional $5 million or so in luxury-tax cost. Richardson might be worth more than $1 million than a minimum player. He’s not worth $5 million more.

The hidden cost of keeping Richardson is the roster space he occupies. Minimum players make an impact on championship teams all the time. Unless Richardson has the ability to do that, Toronto is better off chasing other worthy gambles.

The end of his Raptor career?

Technically, it doesn’t have to be. There is no rule preventing him from returning to the Raptors next season. However, Toronto couldn’t offer him a deal more than the value of his option or approximately $2.6 million. (They can offer a two-year $2.6 million deal with a player option in year two, which would be slightly more attractive.)

Stuck on the end of the bench, I’m not sure he receives a better offer than that. Although when a team declines the third or fourth option on a player, it’s very rare to see the two renegotiate a deal the following offseason.

More likely than him returning for a fourth season, is the probability Richardson is released sometime before year-end. Richardson’s potential is no longer relevant. So now Toronto must ask themselves, is Malachi Richardson better than every free-agent available at this moment?

The answer might be yes for now. After the buyout market opens up, that question becomes much murkier.

His career in Toronto will likely never be spectacular, but Malachi Richardson saved the Raptors some cap-space and gave the fans some intrigue for a while. Enjoy the rest of his time here, however long it might be.