When Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka left, the Toronto Raptors went from having a surplus of quality veterans to being conspicuously lacking, and this is a problem an uncharacteristic Raptors free agency spending spree can fix.
To put things in perspective, the Raptors were asking two rookies (Malachi Flynn and Jalen Harris), a rookie that just joined the team (Freddie Gillespie), and a second-year player (Yuta Watanabe) to play heavy minutes down the stretch against teams fighting for playoff spots.
Aron Baynes and Rodney Hood had opportunities to fill the veteran roles, but neither of them played well. That lack of experience helped knee-cap the Raptors last season, as there are plenty of times where a bit of veteran know-how could’ve supplemented the leadership that players like Kyle Lowry were providing.
Because Gary Trent Jr. will most likely get a big new contract and Lowry potentially resigning, the Raptors won’t have an unlimited amount of money to play with in free agency. Still, these four veterans are worth paying attention to this offseason, as they could potentially be heading to Toronto.
The Raptors have a strong record in identifying players not drafted (VanVleet and Boucher) and outside of the lottery (Siakam, OG and Powell).
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 19, 2021
Free agency however has seen a bunch of misses.
These 4 veterans could sign with the Toronto Raptors.
1. Enes Kanter, C, Portland Trail Blazers
Kanter is one of the best rebounders in the league. This season, he’s had a 30-rebound game and three 20-rebound games. Because the Raptors are a 3-point shooting team, averaging the third-most attempts per game at 39.3, Kanter’s game would fit right in.
One of the team’s biggest weaknesses this year was their rebounding. Kanter is the best rebounder available in free agency this year. Kanter’s 11.0 rebounds per game this year are the highest in the career of a player who has made his name by hoovering up boards.
Enes Kanter would be perfect for the Toronto Raptors.
Offensively, he would be the second-best scoring big on the team behind Siakam. Freddie Gillespie has shown plenty of promise this season, but Kanter is much more seasoned. His rebounding and the knowledge he would give to Gillespie and Khem Birch could be extremely valuable. The only question is if Nick Nurse will find a way to hide his deficiencies on defense.
Kanter might be a bit skittish about coming to Toronto, as his criticism of the Turkish government got to the point where he became fearful for his life and didn’t travel to play a game in London with the Knicks. Kanter has played in Toronto since the Erdogan regime has started going after him, so there is a chance he feels comfortable enough to sign with them on a shorter deal.