Toronto Raptors: Can Marc Gasol be trusted to stay healthy?
By Jason Mills
Toronto Raptors need to manage Gasol’s minutes
Marc Gasol can be trusted to stay healthy through the postseason as the Raptors prepare to finish their final 26 regular-season games. As a 13-year NBA veteran its equally about managing your minutes as it is about quality of play.
Last season the Toronto Raptors introduced us to “load management” to help get their superstar and eventual NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard through the playoffs and secure the club’s first championship.
While “load management” seems like a fancy new thing, it’s not. At the turn of this millennium, the Los Angeles Lakers would rest star Shaquille O’Neal in the latter stages of the season on their way to a three-peat as NBA Champions. Head coach Gregg Popovich, of the San Antonio Spurs, was known to do the same for his star players like Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Tim Duncan.
The Raptors have 26 games left and are a sure bet to win at least half of those games meaning they will secure a fifth consecutive 50 plus win season. Defending their title is more important than seeding and staying healthy goes a long way to the potential of a successful return to the finals. A healthy Marc Gasol helps them achieve that goal.
It’s highly probable that head coach Nick Nurse eases his starting center back into the lineup slowly and limits his minutes where possible.
This should have been baked into the Raptors calculations earlier in the season as a 24 game 2019 NBA playoff run to the title and then the late summer FIBA World Cup of Basketball Championship has added a high level of wear and tear to Marc Gasol’s stamina that is taxing his durability. He simply needs rest.
Should Raptors management enter the waiver market or find an unclaimed free-agent at the veteran minimum salary they could help Gasol stay healthy. A third-string center who can play 10-12 minutes would be ideal.
Right after the February 7th, 2020 trade deadline there were reports that Charlotte might waive former Raptors’ center Bismack Biyombo. He is an energy guy who can rebound and defend and could give the Raptors another athletic big man coming off of the bench.
At basketball.realgm.com, there is a list of free-agents and, as far as centers are concerned, a quick perusal of the options includes former Raptors’ Amir Johnson and Greg Monroe (playing for Bayern Munich), Timofey Mozgov, Marcin Gortat or even Miles Plumlee.