No matter what happens in the remainder of the regular season, the Toronto Raptors have already exceeded some of the wildest expectations that a largely pessimistic media gave them before the 2021-22 season. Last year’s stint in Tampa appears to be more of an exception than a norm.
Despite leaning on young players at the expense of some veteran assets, Toronto has raced out to the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference while remaining within striking distance of leaping up to the sixth seed. Not bad for a team one year removed from the No. 4 pick.
Even with all of the projected starters locked up for 2022-23, some key members of an already thin bench are scheduled to potentially test the free agent market or end up in the rumor mill. This offseason will be nothing short of pivotal when it comes to sustaining their success.
These 3 Raptors either ended up in the rumor mill this season or will be free agents at the end of this season. If Masai Ujiri has enough foresight, he should make space for all three of these players next year.
3 Toronto Raptors who have earned roles with the 2022-23 squad.
3. Malachi Flynn
Flynn’s NBA career appeared to be dead in the water early in the season given how he completely fell out of the rotation. Injuries gave him another chance to prove himself to Nick Nurse, and he took full advantage by turning back the clock to his fantastic April last year.
Before getting hurt, Flynn was averaging 12.5 points per game on 51% shooting and 4.5 assists per contest in the second half. With Fred VanVleet dealing with some knee ailments, Flynn has emphatically reminded the Raptors that he has talent worth nurturing.
Malachi Flynn has improved for the Toronto Raptors.
The idea of trading Flynn made sense at the deadline, as he looked like someone who just needed a fresh start. These last few weeks have shown that Flynn can be a dynamic presence on the offensive end if he is given enough leeway, he can be an effective distributor and efficient scorer.
The Raptors should use their high second-round pick on a shooter that can add more scoring to the bench, but they should not burn it on a Flynn replacement. He’s proven himself enough to where Toronto should feel more than comfortable entering 2022-23 with him behind VanVleet.
2. Thad Young
Young’s skill set might be ideal for what Nurse wants to do on both sides of the ball, but some fans weren’t thrilled by the trade that saw them part with Goran Dragic. Not only is Young a 33-year-old power forward on a team packed to the gills with power forwards, but he’s a free agent at the end of this year.
Young might not be getting the volume of shots he’s received at other stops in his career, but he’s emerged as a solid rebounder, surprising 3-point shooter, and above-average communicator on defense. Young has already started closing games for Toronto, and he keyed a tremendous bench performance in a win against Denver.
Thad Young makes a ton of sense for the Toronto Raptors.
Young doesn’t have a championship, meaning that Toronto will need to factor in the possibility of him leaving for a lesser deal on a team with better title odds. Young has the potential to be the veteran glue guy that this team needs, and that should be reflected in any contract offer they make.
The impact of having a veteran like Young to provide stability to a second unit and mentor a talented cast of young players can’t be understated. While Dragic may have been an incongruous fit, Young has shown that he is gelling with the squad on and off the court. That’s worth a two-year deal in the offseason.
1. Chris Boucher
Boucher was so poor early in the season that he was benched for a game and constantly thrown into hypothetical trades ahead of his impending free agency. In a year where not much has gone right for Toronto when it comes to building a functional bench, Boucher has been the one constant.
Boucher is averaging 9.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game since the new year started, all while starting to block shots and making 3s as he did during his Tampa breakout. On a bench devoid of scoring, Nurse has continually gone back to Boucher as one of his more trusted options.
Chris Boucher keeps getting better for the Toronto Raptors.
Boucher’s best trait, his versatility, has been on display over these last few weeks. The Raptors will have the likes of Young coming off of the books as well as enough cap space to make some moves. Bringing Boucher back should be at or near the top of their priority list.
Boucher might not be the biggest forward in the world, but he has been extremely effective for years under Nurse in Toronto. He will likely be tempted by multi-year deals elsewhere that could promise more money up front or a starting role, but Toronto should consider matching those offers to keep their unique bench piece in Canada.