You play GM: Decide the fate of the Toronto Raptors offseason

Toronto Raptors - Masai Ujiri (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)
Toronto Raptors - Masai Ujiri (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors – Danny Green (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Let Green walk

Danny Green proved in the playoffs that he isn’t what this team needed. He’ll be 32 before next season starts; it’s time to move on. Besides with Kawhi leaving, the Raptors need someone who can create their own shot, not a high-end role player like Green.

So that gives you the entire $9.7 non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception to work with, along with the full $3.8 million bi-annual exception.

Before using either exception, your roster currently looks like:

  • Point Guard: Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet
  • Shooting Guard: Norman Powell
  • Small Forward: OG Anunoby, Malcolm Miller
  • Power forward: Pascal Siakam, Chris Boucher
  • Center: Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Dewan Hernandez

The Raptors are incredibly weak at wing for the moment. Norman Powell and OG Anunoby didn’t start last year. Now, they’re the only two rotation-quality wings on the roster.  Anunoby will likely spend time at power forward as well. Toronto needs wing depth and needs it badly.

It’s reasonable that,  for the time being, the Raptors will enter the season with only 14 players. Having only 14 players gives them more flexibility against the Luxury tax and will allow them to add a player as the season progresses. It’s possible they pick up 15 before the season, but you shouldn’t bet on it.

Considering their lack of talent at wing, Toronto should focus both their Mid-Level and Bi-Annual exception on finding some combination of small forward and shooting guard. With your exceptions, take the best combination possible to round out the roster. (MLE is listed first, bi-annual second).

So take your pick of the best available combination:

Rodney Hood, Wilson Chandler

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, James Ennis

Trevor Ariza, Patrick McCaw