5 free agents Raptors could sign after waiving Justin Champagnie

The Toronto Raptors made their first noteworthy roster move of the 2022-23 season when they decided to release former undrafted free agent forward Justin Champagnie. This comes just a few months after he signed a multi-year contract with Toronto and won a preseason competition.

The move was clearly motivated by Champagnie’s finances, as he would have had over $1 million guaranteed to him if they kept him in 2023. The Raptors now have one more roster spot that can be used to give this poor bench a shot in the arm that could pay dividends down the line.

While the most likely way they will fill this spot is by signing Jeff Dowtin to an NBA deal and finding someone else to take up their vacant two-way spot, the Raptors might need to make a more explosive and show-stopping move if they want to be taken seriously as a postseason force.

These five players are currently unattached, which could prompt the Raptors to consider making them the newest additions to the squad. These five could play a part in either giving the Raptors more perimeter shooting or beefing up their depth in the interior.

Toronto Raptors rumors: 5 free agents to replace Justin Champagnie.

5. Eric Paschall

Paschall has been a tough chestnut to crack in his professional career. Is his production the product of getting an elevated role on bad teams or a sign that he’s a promising talent that can be an effective role player in the right role? As such, Paschall remains totally unsigned.

Paschall has seen his production decline over the last three years, as he went from a double-digit scorer as a rookie on a bad Warriors team to a role player with Utah last year. While another 6-7 power forward would seem redundant, the Villanova alum has a better 3-point shot than most Raptors.

Eric Paschall could fit the Toronto Raptors.

Paschall shot 37% from 3-point range last year with the Jazz. Replicating those numbers in Toronto would instantly make him one of the best offensive performers on the Raptors. Why not give him the minutes that Juancho Hernangomez is struggling to perform well in?

Paschall is still just 26 years old, so there’s plenty of talent left to be mined by a team with enough patience. He’ll never be a tremendous creator for himself, but a Raptors team that remains unwilling to compromise on their unique defensive structure could take a shot on Pascall.