Toronto Raptors: Reviewing the Raptors off-season so far
By Jason Mills
Free agency return of Fred VanVleet
With a frontcourt existing of Pascal Siakam at the power forward spot and Dewan Hernandez, their 2019 second-round draft pick available to play center, the Toronto Raptors’ top priority, as per general manager Bobby Webster, was to re-sign Fred VanVleet, who is a guard.
"“I think we’ve said it publicly, privately and every which way. He’s our top priority, he’s our biggest priority for the off-season is bringing him back,”"
A four-year 85 million dollar deal will keep the diminutive guard in Toronto for the foreseeable future.
It has now created ramifications that throw the Toronto Raptors’ playoff fortunes in doubt in 2020/21. There are now over 51 million dollars under the Raptors’ salary cap committed to two point guards, 30 million to Kyle Lowry and 21.25 million to Fred VanVleet, for the coming season.
While redistribution of salary was necessary as the Raptors were spending nearly 50 million in 2019/20 on Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol at the center position, simply shifting it to another single position was not wise when there are several flaws with this roster, now nearly half the roster is filled with guards.
Further, next off-season or sooner, just like how the Toronto Raptors lost Serge Ibaka, Fred VanVleet’s continued presence in the lineup stagnates Norman Powell’s role as Marc Gasol did to Serge Ibaka for the past season and a half.