Raptors winners and losers as Day 1 of free agency mayhem ends
By Mike Luciano
Loser: Yuta Watanabe
Watanabe may want a return, but Toronto might be running out of roster spots. Watanabe fell out of the rotation last year, which might make it a tough sell for this front office. Toronto’s recent moves appear to be setting up a future without Yuta in the fold.
The Raptors will have 11 guaranteed contracts after the Boucher and Young deals get finalized. Dalano Banton and Armoni Brooks have partial guarantees, and Christian Koloko will push the total to 14 when he signs. Watanabe could be pushed out of town by former teammate Justin Champagnie.
Will Yuta Watanabe return to the Toronto Raptors?
If Champagnie gets an NBA deal, the Raptors will have used up all their available NBA roster spots. Considering how he vastly overperformed after coming in as a two-way player last year, the odds of him staying in Toronto seem high. Watanabe has plenty of skills the Raptors can use, but that might not guarantee him a spot at the table.
Yuta could still return, but the odds of that return have shrunken, assuming that Toronto adds a difference-maker with their MLE. Watanabe still has plenty to offer a prospective NBA team, but the rapid rise of Champagnie could present a problem for him.