The 3 most overpaid Toronto Raptors heading into next season
In an ideal world, every player on the Toronto Raptors would be a bargain.
Most teams talented enough to win the championship are benefiting from key players making less than their level of play deserves. On the other hand, teams who are paying players much more than they deserve are hamstrung trying to improve the roster.
Obviously, players should be paid what they deserve, but from a team standpoint finding those values and avoiding overpays is the difference between maintaining a good team and striking gold to win a title. How a team manages its salary sheet has untold implications for the success of the team.
The Toronto Raptors have players falling in both categories, the bargains and the overpays. Let's look at three players on the roster who are overpaid and discuss how that came to pass and what it means for the future success of the team.
No. 3: Chris Boucher
We begin with the least expensive name on our list, with Chris Boucher narrowly beating out Ochai Agbaji, who makes just $4.3 million but is on the fringes of sticking around in the NBA. Boucher, the longest-tenured Raptors player and only remaining member of the 2019 title team, makes the list on account of his $10.81 million deal.
The former Oregon Ducks big man signed a new contract in July of 2022 to stay with the team, making a little over $35 million all told across three seasons. The deal has descended, starting at $12.69 million in the first season, which makes it less painful this year despite Boucher's fall from being an impactful NBA player.
Last season Boucher had his smallest role in years, averaging just 14.1 minutes in his 50 appearances. His per-minute numbers on offense stayed about the same, but his defensive stats continued to erode and he had the worst Box Plus-Minus he has had since joining the Raptors. In short, Boucher has gone from an exciting 3-and-D big man to a fringe rotational player.
Coming off of a knee injury his athleticism figures to wane even further, and it's likely the 31-year-old Boucher will not be worth anywhere near his $10.8 million deal this season. Luckily for the Raptors Boucher is entering the final season of his deal and will come off the books next summer, or earlier if they find a trade partner willing to take him on.