Prior to the trade deadline, I wrote several pieces predicting Chris Boucher's time with the Toronto Raptors were numbered. Whether it was the coach's decision to never give him consistent minutes or when Boucher finally got what appeared to be a "look what I can do" tour; it just seemed all but certain that he was nearing the end of his run.
And so, it came as a pleasant surprise when, after another trade deadline during which he was rumored to be on the move, the Raptors ultimately decided against trading the energetic 32-year-old stretch forward.
While the rumor mill was circulating news of Boucher's impending trade status, there was also a insider report closer to the deadline indicating that both Toronto and the Saint Lucian native expressed interest in a potential contract extension.
With that in mind, it makes a bit more sense as to why the Raptors would opt to keep Boucher around for a little longer, despite his stellar play having reportedly caught the eye of various contending teams' front office executives.
Fast forward to March, just over a month past the trade deadline, and veteran Boucher has seemingly fallen out of the rotation once again, despite being healthy for most of that stretch. The easy explanation for this outcome is Toronto's late-season push to help the tank, opting to rest or sit their regular rotation players in favor of some end-of-the-bench reserves, who are quickly proving to be catalysts for winning efforts, no less.
Be that as it may, Boucher's absence from the Raptors' outlook has still raised some eyebrows among fans and reporters alike, prompting a question posed to head coach Darko Rajakovic regarding the status of the lanky veteran.
Darko Rajakovic's response on the status of Chris Boucher
Rajakovic would state in his post-game media scrum after the Raptors' win over Philadelphia on March 12, after being asked why Boucher wasn't playing:
"Yes. we did. We did talk to Chris [Boucher]. He's aware. He's staying ready. He's staying prepared. Every single day he's in the gym, putting a lot of work in, but we're really trying to give opportunities for those young guys and take a look at them. "Darko Rajakovic
Though it might seem confusing at first, there’s logic to the Raptors' decision. They’re already aware of what Boucher offers, and his exceptional shooting ability can certainly serve as a valuable spark to help secure a victory.
But right now, I don't know if the Raptors want to feature a lot of proven winning players in their rotation, which is why we're seeing so much film on guys like Jared Rhoden, AJ Lawson, Orlando Robinson, and Colin Castleton.
I don't know if Boucher will be shut down for the rest of the season per se, given that his only real excuse for resting was his recent wisdom tooth surgery, which sidelined him against Utah. I'm not asking for Boucher to play a ton down the stretch, but maybe a few reps here and there with the young guns would be nice—a little way to show the Raptors bridging the gap between the last generation and the new generation, of sorts.
Moreover, Toronto needs to be firmly assured that they can work a team-friendly, but still valuable contract extension with Boucher, or else keeping him past the deadline would've been rendered useless. I still think there's a flexible deal in the works, but his recent absence certainly added a bit of uncertainty to his future.