The Toronto Raptors have come completely unglued this season, as the absence of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka is noticeable the second you turn on any given Raptors game. Aron Baynes playing arguably the worst season of his career certainly isn’t helping matters on a team struggling to find frontcourt depth outside of him.
The Raptors’ chances of making the postseason, already slim despite the advantage of the play-in tournament, are fading fast.
With Baynes struggling, Chris Boucher more of a power forward than true center, and G League star Alize Johnson now balling with the Brooklyn Nets, Nick Nurse and Masai Ujiri need to act quickly if they are to secure the services of a free agent big.
Doing so would give the Raptors depth for this season and a chance to see if one of these free agents could be on the squad next year. This gives Nurse another opportunity to salvage a fledgling NBA career.
The market is full of rebounding bigs that can be an anchor inside as well as promising offensive-minded players that never got a fair shake.
If one of these players ends up in Toronto, they could send Baynes to the bench permanently if they hit their stride or give Nurse a quality backup. With two open roster spots, what is Ujiri waiting for?
These 3 free agents could end up on the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors center target No. 1: Damian Jones
Jones shot 94% from the field during his stint with the Lakers, and that is in no way a misprint. Jones played in eight games for LA, starting six, all the while averaging 5.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. When extrapolated out to 36 minutes per game, Jones’ numbers look a touch better.
Jones averaged 13.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per 36 minutes during his time with the Lakers. A former first-round pick out of Vanderbilt with the Golden State Warriors, Jones hasn’t gotten a fair shake, as most of his experience in the NBA has been as a completely ancillary player on some good teams.
Damian Jones could be a bruiser inside for the Toronto Raptors
Jones should absolutely start over Baynes, as he has a much higher ceiling on the defensive end and is a better rebounder. Picking up a new starter off of the free-agent scrap heap would be an absolute steal bu Ujiri and this front office, and Jones’ efficiency this season should give Toronto confidence in him.
Yes, Jones is a non-factor on offense the second he steps out of the paint, but the Raptors just need someone that can vacuum up tough rebounds, block a shot, and roll to the basket in order to be on the receiving end of Kyle Lowry lobs. Jones won’t cost a ton to bring in, and he could be on the team next year.
Toronto Raptors center target No. 2: Skal Labissiere
Labissiere is another first-round pick, as the much-hyped recruit from Kentucky was picked 28th overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2016. After averaging 8.0 points per game in just over 100 contests with Sacramento, he was cut loose, forcing him to latch on as a backup in Portland for the last two seasons.
Labissiere’s defense and inability to adapt his game away from the basket ultimately did him in with the Kings. Luckily for the former Wildcats star, he could have a somewhat soft landing in Toronto, who could ask him to just rebound and finish at the rim, playing to his strengths.
Could Skal Labissiere succeed with the Toronto Raptors?
Labissiere just turned 25 a few weeks ago, meaning that he has plenty of gas left in the tank. It might take some time to fully work back into the NBA, but he needs the opportunity. On a Raptors team that both plays fast and is looking for some quality scorers on the interior, Labissiere could use the Raptors as a springboard from which he could relaunch his pro career.
No matter who they sign, the Raptors won’t see their deficiencies in rebounding or defense completely erased overnight. With that in mind, why not just go all-in on offensive prowess and hope for the best? Labissiere could audition for a spot as a backup big man on next year’s team if all goes as planned.
Toronto Raptors center target No. 3: Thon Maker
A hat trick of 2016 first-round draftees, Maker was picked 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, as the 7-footer with handles and a jump shot looked like a big man ahead of his time. His NBA career depended on him getting adequete development time, and Milwaukee didn’t provide him with that.
Maker has since taken a mini-tour of the Central Division, as stints with the Pistons and Cavaliers produced little in the way of positive results. Maker will always have teams interested in him given his unique offensive package, and the Raptors could try to get the Canadian high school product onboard.
Can Thon Maker break out with the Toronto Raptors?
Maker isn’t the best fit for a true center role, but he might have the highest offensive ceiling of anyone on the market. Rather than watch Baynes flail around on offense, Maker could create his own shot as a much more efficient clip rate.
Even though Maker has been in the league for a while, he is still in possession of one of the best packages of athleticism and potential in the game. Why not take a flier on him? He’ll get playing time and a consistent volume of shots. Perhaps Nurse could be the Svengali Maker needs to become a star.