The Toronto Raptors managed to both retain some of their big-name free agents and bring in a new rotation member in the early stages of the NBA offseason. Not only were Chris Boucher and Thad Young signed to multi-year contracts, but Otto Porter Jr. was signed away from the Golden State Warriors.
The Raptors are not usually a free agent destination, so the activeness this offseason shows that Masai Ujiri is willing to splurge on free agents if it means he can get an immediate short-term upgrade. The fact he did so without exceeding $12 million per year on any one deal is exemplary negotiating.
While there haven’t been too many overly bizarre contracts so far in free agency, there have been a few that make you at least scratch your head and wonder what exactly the team in question is up to. They could be in for some buyer’s remorse if one or two things go awry.
The Porter deal Toronto put the finishing touches on was widely regarded as a savvy move that helps the team win now without being financially crippling in the short term. The same can not be said of these three contracts, who could go sideways next year.
Toronto Raptors: 3 contracts the Otto Porter Jr. deal is better than
3. JaVale McGee, Dallas Mavericks
This one doesn’t sound terrible on paper. McGee has proven he can contribute to championship teams in the last few seasons, and he fills a need for a Dallas squad that needs rim protection. That doesn’t excuse the fact that McGee came to the Mavericks on a complete overpay.
McGee signed a three-year, $20 million deal with the Mavericks even though he will almost assuredly come off the bench. The loss of Chris Paul orchestrating the offense might make it hard for him to replicate his breakout offensive season with Phoenix.
The Toronto Raptors were wise not to pay JaVale McGee.
McGee is going to turn 37 by the time his contract ends. Even if the Mavericks want to flip him in a trade, he isn’t going to offer much on the back end of that contract other than being a lob threat that can be found elsewhere in the league. McGee aging rapidly could put a black mark over Dallas’ offseason.
The Raptors came into the offseason needing some height and shot-blocking, and they chose to address that in the draft after acquiring Christian Koloko. Signing McGee, who would be an unusual fit on offense for Nick Nurse, would be quite the expensive deviation from Ujiri’s plan.
2. Jusuf Nurkic, Portland Trail Blazers
Would we have liked Nurkic as a center for the Raptors before the selection of Christian Koloko? Of course! He’s very talented! However, when you look at the deal Portland just forked over to someone with serious injury concerns, it’s clear why Toronto was never in the mix for him.
Nurkic agreed to a four-year deal worth around $70 million. While he is a double-double machine when healthy and a worthy starting center for Damian Lillard, the fact that they gave Nurkic a long-term contract despite the risks attached to an oft-injured big man his size is a bit puzzling.
The Toronto Raptors paid Otto Porter Jr. rather than Jusuf Nurkic.
The Raptors knew that Porter was an injury risk when they signed him, which is why they gave him a two-year deal that could be opted out of before the second-year starts. That’s how to handle an aging player with a laundry list of concerning injuries.
The Blazers need to show Damian Lillard that they are serious about contending without CJ McCollum. While locking up Anfernee Simons and bringing in Gary Payton Jr. were solid moves, the Nurkic deal is going to be an albatross if a nearly 300-pound center struggles with mobility.
1. PJ Tucker, Philadelphia 76ers
Tucker has bounced around from team to team over the last few seasons, but he always seems to come out of these wild trades smelling like a rose and ending up on contending teams. Philly wanted some of that corner 3-pointer magic, but Tucker’s contract is questionable.
Tucker signed a three-year, $33 million contract even though he hasn’t averaged more than eight points per game since 2015-16. Tucker’s value clearly goes beyond the box score, but $11 million per year to someone who will be 40 by the time the contract ends
PJ Tucker is an overpay for a Toronto Raptors rival.
The 76ers had a rock-solid rotation before they decided to acquire Tucker, but the veteran starting to show his age could throw a wrench into things. Replacing Danny Green as the designated corner 3-ball marksman, Tucker’s skillset seems too niche for s contract like that at this stage of his career.
The Raptors will ask Porter to do a lot of things that Philadelphia will task Tucker with, and they likely won’t have to commit as much to him from a financial point of view. Tucker is a fine one-year upgrade, but that long-year deal will be something that Daryl Morey is going to have to navigate around.