Toronto Raptors free agency: 3 Pacific Division free agents to chase

The Toronto Raptors need to keep their eyes peeled for free agents that could plug up some holes on this roster, as the process of getting back to the postseason starts with knocking it out of the mark in August. Raptors free agency is about to kick off in earnest in the coming weeks.

The Pacific Division could be a very fertile ground from which the front office could pluck complementary pieces. Considering that some of the best teams in the league reside in that division, the Raptors could siphon away some of their talent and cohesion to build a winner in 2021-22.

The Raptors could use even more scoring in the backcourt, some veteran help on the defensive side of the ball, and a new starting center. It just so happens that this division has impending unrestricted free agents who could fill all of those holes instantly.

These 3 players may not necessarily come cheap, but if the Raptors are able to outbid the competition, bringing them to Toronto could become a reality.

3 Toronto Raptors free agency targets from the Pacific Division

3. Cameron Payne, PG, Phoenix Suns

Payne is currently in the middle of a championship push with the Phoenix Suns, as his wild NBA ride has taken him from a lottery pick to completely out of the league in a few years. His performance for the Suns in the bubble last year helped convince Phoenix to bring him back, and he’s been an invaluable asset for them.

Payne, who has averaged 8.7 points and 3.5 assists per game with the Suns, has been linked to the Raptors in the past, and while his performance in the Finals has varied wildly from game to game, he has some very impressive stat lines to his name.

Cameron Payne would be a solid backup for the Toronto Raptors.

Sure, with Toronto likely taking Jalen Suggs or a guard in that same tier with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Payne might be a bit redundant. However, if Kyle Lowry leaves, the Raptors could choose to replace him with another undersized point guard, as you can never have too many ball-handlers in the modern NBA.

Payne can be a speedy spark off of the bench while draining enough 3-pointers to potentially pick the squad up if they ever go cold from beyond the arc. The Aron Baynes signing might have Raptors fans a bit nervous when comes to signing breakout players from the Suns, but Payne’s playoff performance should inspire more confidence.