Toronto Raptors: Ranking Team Assets Prior to the 2019 NBA Offseason
Back of the Rotation: Assets 10-8
10. Chris Boucher
Chris Boucher also has one year left on his current contract at $1.58 million. Much like Miller, Boucher is currently a slightly more valuable asset than a future second-round draft pick. However, Boucher has seen the floor just 29 times over parts of two seasons with the Raptors, accumulating 164 minutes of action. Having averaged just 5.7 minutes per game thus far in his NBA career, Boucher is another unproven NBA player who does not carry much immediate value as a trade asset.
Having shown glimpses of defensive prowess over his limited time in the NBA, Boucher is a marginally more valuable asset than Miller, but Boucher ultimately remains yet another notably low-value asset for the Raptors organization.
9. Norman Powell
With 3 years left on his contract, and having been in the NBA for four seasons to date, Norman Powell is currently a slightly-below-average asset for the Toronto Raptors with regard to his relative value with this team.
Let’s be clear here; Powell has had some really good moments in his short career thus far. Particularly in the playoffs, Norm has shown up significantly at times for this team. At the same time, he has also shown to be very inconsistent at other moments, which is why his value as an asset to this team is largely in flux.
That said, Powell is certainly someone — at just age 26 — that has time to improve as a basketball player on this level.
Ultimately, Powell is certainly a better asset than second-round picks and end of the bench players in Miller and Boucher but his somewhat hefty contract — which includes a player option in 2021-22 — coupled with that aforementioned inconsistency earn him this ninth spot in our trade asset ranking.
8. Serge Ibaka
Let’s start with this: Serge Ibaka is a better asset than Norman Powell because he is a better NBA player. The 29-year-old 11-year NBA veteran has seen his basic three statistical averages (points, rebounds, assists) fluctuate over the last several seasons but Ibaka still averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds in 74 games this past regular season.
On top of that, compared to Powell’s three years remaining, Ibaka has just one year left on his contract, which means that a potential trade partner would be receiving a still-productive NBA talent on a short contract — potentially ideal for a contending team with cap space.
Unfortunately, that is as far as Ibaka’s value likely goes in terms of being a trade asset for the Toronto Raptors.
Serge Ibaka is in line to make $23.27 million dollars next season. For illustrative purposes, that is the 38th highest salary in the league next year – more than Victor Oladipo ($21M), Draymond Green ($18.53M) and Myles Turner ($18M).
Appropriately, Serge’s contract is not one that carries much value as a trade asset, and his deal would most likely be one that requires an attached draft pick in order to unload.
Don’t get it mixed up. Serge Ibaka is still a productive basketball player. However, with such a hefty salary next season, he still grabs a spot towards the back end of this list when compared to the other assets Toronto has.