The Toronto Raptors have all 20 spots full on their projected training camp roster, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are done with making some new additions. According to some of the latest buzz, Dennis Schroder was reportedly on their radar before joining the Lakers.
Schroder turned down both the Raptors and Phoenix Suns prior to his Los Angeles return. If Schroder was earnestly being linked to Toronto, the Raptors may have tipped their hand and showed that they are still looking for more competition behind Fred VanVleet in the preseason.
Dalano Banton and Malachi Flynn both have their strengths when forced into action, but the Raptors would be hard-pressed to say that their collection of backups are league-average at this moment in time. Fans asking for one more guaranteed deal to be discarded may be on to something.
The Raptors may move off one of the players currently on their roster if it means they can sign one of these free agents before the end of the offseason. They may not be roster locks, but they can give some of the young guns the motivational push they need to improve themselves.
Toronto Raptors: 3 free agent point guards to target.
3. Brandon Goodwin
The Raptors liked Goodwin’s game enough to sign him as a COVID-19 replacement, even though a positive test right before he joined the team eventually nullified that deal. Not to be discouraged after his inability to join Toronto, Goodwin quickly signed a contract with the Cavaliers.
Goodwin averaged 4.8 points and 2.5 assists per game while making a respectable 34.5% of his 3-point attempts. After two years with Atlanta, Goodwin displayed the explosion, hustle, and tremendous feel for the game needed to stick in the NBA. Unfortunately, it looks like Cleveland chose against retaining him.
The Toronto Raptors could use Brandon Goodwin.
Signing Goodwin would most definitely be an affront to Flynn, as the 6-0 guard has a very similar style of play. If the Raptors want to show their former first-round pick that he is on relatively thin ice, this would be one way to do it. Goodwin and Flynn pushing each other in camp could make for some nice competition.
Goodwin will not be the most high-ceiling signing in the world, but that’s not what Toronto needs. If he can show enough promise to unseat one of the more established players and keep pressure on the backcourt, Goodwin might be worth picking up.
2. Elfrid Payton
Payton has bounced around the league over his first few years in the league, establishing himself with Orlando before moving to the Knicks. Spending last year with Phoenix and averaging just 3.0 points per game, Payton is running out of locations where he can jump-start his career.
Payton, who has worked out with the Warriors, was a double-digit scorer in all but one of his seven seasons before last year’s Phoenix debacle. Payton averaged 6.2 assists per game in his career if you exclude last year, showing that he is a proven fantastic distributor at the pro level. The big issue is shooting.
Man, does it need some work.
Elfird Payton could improve for the Toronto Raptors.
Luckily for Payton, Nick Nurse and the Raptors have a history of taking in players that struggle from deep and working with them. Payton might be fairly far into his career, but there’s still time for him to learn some new tricks. If he fails, Toronto has enough leeway to ditch him and pretend it never happened.
Payton may not have many NBA opportunities left, so Toronto giving him the chance to compete for a spot at the end of the bench could be one of the best options on his plate. Payton is one jump shot away from sticking long-term, though it’s been almost a decade, and he hasn’t been able to add that arrow to his quiver.
1. Frank Jackson
It’s really surprising to me that Jackson has not been signed. While he may have benefitted from playing on a very weak Pistons team, averaging double digits in the NBA is nothing to joke around about. Jackson has proven that he is worth a spot in the pros purely from an offensive point of view.
In his two seasons in Detroit, Jackson averaged 10.2 points per game on 42/34/83 shooting splits. Is he lacking in certain areas? Without a doubt. That’s why teams keep passing on him. Still, one would figure that scoring that consistently for two years would be worth a longer look.
Will the Toronto Raptors acquire Frank Jackson?
Let’s say that the Raptors find a way to offload a contract like that of Khem Birch. Let’s say they are confident enough in Christian Koloko that they choose not to sign another center. Why wouldn’t Jackson be worth a look? He’s just 24 years old and has most of his best basketball in the windshield.
He’s more ball-dominant than you’d like a point guard to be in Nurse’s offense, and he only has one season of elite 3-point shooting production. Even with those concerns, Jackson could be a few tweaks away from potentially usurping one of the Banton/Flynn duo in minutes should everything fall his way.