Toronto Raptors: 3 players who could earn spots on 2021 roster in April and May
By Mike Luciano
No 1: C Khem Birch
Birch, a Canadian who called playing in Toronto a “dream come true” after the Orlando Magic got rid of him, was signed to serve as a more traditional, back-to-the-basket center since Aron Baynes has performed so poorly in that regard. In his first game with the club, he gave a tantalizing glimpse of what he could offer in the future.
Birch is not going to be a tremendous scorer, as evidenced by his low scoring averages and minimalistic offensive game, but Toronto has been crying out for a player with Birch’s skillset. He’ll get plenty of chances to prove he can stick with the Raptors in this upcoming stretch of games.
Will the Raptors bring back Khem Birch in 2021?
Birch will be a free agent at the end of this year, and the Raptors will have tons of cap space that they could use to bring a more experienced center with a more varied offensive game to town. Even if that is their prerogative, Birch has value in the NBA and has even more value on the Raptors, and he could prove it this season.
Birch will have a long career in this league if he continues to rebound, set screens, and play tough defense. Even if the Raptors sacrifice defense for offense in the starting lineup, it would be worth it to keep the Canadian in Canada and bring back Birch for one more year.