3 stars the Toronto Raptors should sign in free agency this summer

No. 1: Paul George

If the Toronto Raptors let Bruce Brown and Gary Trent Jr. walk in free agency they could have something around $45-48 million in cap space. That will fluctuate if they either keep or don't keep their first-round pick but it puts them in play for a large contract offer.

If things end painfully for the LA Clippers this season, always a possibility given their combination of player injuries and franchise ineptitude, George could decide not to return. If that is the case, he could join the Philadelphia 76ers to be the third option or look to a team like the Toronto Raptors to be option 1A or 1B.

George is such a valuable and coveted star because he can fit alongside essentially any other player. His ball-handling, playmaking, shooting and scoring can pair with other perimeter stars, a high-volume center or a pound-it-out point guard. Defensively he has lost a step since his prime but is still an above-average wing stopper.

If Toronto is serious about rebounding into the playoff field next season, adding a player like Paul George would be an ideal way to do it. He can be the top option early on in his contract and then slide into a secondary role alongside Scottie Barnes. If the Raptors want to go large they can add another frontcourt player and start George at the 2, or they can slide him down to the 3 and play another guard.

George, like any veteran star, is unlikely to sign in Toronto. That's the unfortunate lesson of history. If one does, however, George, Holiday and Thompson would all bring something valuable to the team.