12 Players the Raptors never should have gambled on
By Tyler Watts
7. Linas Klieza
Klieza was a first-round draft pick in 2005 out of the University of Missouri. The Lithuanian forward became a key role player and helped the Nuggets reach the Western Conference Finals in 2009, but he decided to return to Europe where he helped Olympiacos reach the EuroLeague Final Four the following year.
The Raptors had just watched Chris Bosh leave in free agency, and they needed talent, so Toronto signed Klieza to a four-year contract worth $20 million to bring him back to the NBA that quickly turned sour.
The 6’8 forward struggled to stay healthy and his production steadily declined when he was on the floor. Klieza’s best season in Toronto was his first where he averaged 11.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 26.2 minutes per game. He never played more than 49 times in one season, and things got so bad that the Raptors used the amnesty clause on him before the final year of his deal.
Linas Klieza played his final NBA game with the Toronto Raptors. He returned to Europe after being let go where he played two more seasons before hanging up the sneakers. The 6’8 forward was an overpaid role player that could not stay healthy during his time in Toronto, which made cutting ties with him and avoiding the luxury tax an easy decision in 2013.