The Toronto Raptors hit free agency hard in the early stages, acquiring Dennis Schroder following the departure of Fred VanVleet and using some leftover cash for Jalen McDaniels. They also spent a good chunk of their available cap space to ensure an old friend stayed in town in the future.
Jakob Poeltl, a former Top 10 pick by the Raptors and Kawhi Leonard trade chip, was acquired via trade and re-signed to a four-year, $80 million contract that pays him like an elite center. With Delon Wright in the rumor mill, the idea of bringing back some former players might appeal to Masai Ujiri.
Under Ujiri, the Raptors have developed a very rigid style of play (for better or worse). Who better to slot into one of those open roster spots than someone who has already been in Toronto, even for a very brief period? The free agent market is still littered with former Raptors.
Be them key role players on a championship team, veterans looking to latch on to one last team, or youngsters that want to get back to Toronto’s developmental system, these three former Raptors are still on the open market, waiting for that one phone call from Masai Ujiri.
3 former Toronto Raptors still available in free agency.
3. Saben Lee
Lee may have never played a game for the Raptors, but he was one of the focal points of Toronto’s G League team for quite some time. After failing to realize his potential, the Raptors lost Lee to the Suns and had to watch him emerge as a viable backup point guard in the pros.
Lee, a former Pistons pick, averaged 6.3 points and 2.8 assists per game. Despite the fact that he is still very young and has more NBA experience than most end-of-the-bench guards fighting for Summer League spots, Lee remains unattached to a particular team right now.
Saben Lee could return to the Toronto Raptors.
The Raptors can either continue to bang their head against the Malachi Flynn wall or hope that Jeff Dowtin is still the same player following his ankle issues. If they have fallen in love with one of them or two-way standout Markquis Nowell, Lee’s size enables him to move to off-ball guard.
Lee is not going to move the needle, but the Raptors’ poor Summer League start shows that none of the players in that group outside of Dick will be expected to play a role in the team’s rotation next season. Why not fill out the end of the bench with someone that has a solid history of scoring in the pros?
2. Danny Green
Green’s injuries made it impossible for him to get on the floor for extended periods of time last season, and his value at this stage of his career will almost entirely depend on 3-point shooting. Luckily for the Raptors, Green is still a knockdown shooter from range.
The 2019 champion made 45% of his 3-pointers on 3.6 attempts per game during a brief stint with the Cavaliers. If the Raptors want to fill the back end of the bench with quality veteran talent, there are much worse ways to accomplish that goal than by adding Green into the mix.
Could the Toronto Raptors land Danny Green?
Green could be worth a one-year deal on a veteran minimum contract. He already has his rings (one of which was with Toronto), and his status as a player is essentially secure. As a result, paychecks might be the primary motivating factor for him. Why not see what he has left?
Green will be a veteran presence in the locker room that won’t be as outwardly abrasive or prickly as some like Fred VanVleet reportedly was. If called upon in some game action, Green should be good for a few timely shots from beyond the arc.
1. Terrence Ross
Ross is one of the highest draft picks in Raptors history, but his career never seemed to take off following his selection. Despite getting traded by the Raptors, is there an outside shot of a Ross return? There’s no such thing as too much guard depth in the modern NBA.
Ross spent most of the last decade with the Orlando Magic, putting up solid scoring and shooting numbers despite the fact that the teams he was on often struggled to make noise in the standings. After a move to the Suns last season, Ross remains unattached.
Will the Toronto Raptors sign Terrence Ross?
Ross remains unsigned, and the Raptors might need to make a very convincing offer to sign him due to the fact that he is likely in ring-chasing mode. Ross might not be attracted to a Raptors team that is clearly making a hard pivot toward becoming a younger, rebuilding team.
However, if the market isn’t there for a guard that may not be as bouncy as he was in his prime, the idea of a homecoming to the place that helped him become the high-flier and reliable bench microwave he is today might be what ultimately lures him back to Canada.