The Toronto Raptors will have to clear space if they want to make any more additions in free agency. With Garrett Temple and Immanuel Quickley both being resigned and the Raptors selecting four rookies at the draft the team has 15 players under guaranteed contracts, with three more on two-way contracts. The Raptors will have to decide if they want to clear the roster space to bring back sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr or undrafted guard Javon Freeman-Liberty. However, the Raptors seemed to have already moved on from Freeman-Liberty with Davion Mitchell and Jamal Shead on the roster.
What Free Agency Moves Are Left For the Raptors
What is Gary Trent Jr’s future?
Toronto had high hopes for Trent when they traded for him three seasons ago. However, since then Trent has struggled to improve and keep his minutes. The front office has made it pretty clear that resigning Trent is not a priority. With no buzz around the team offering him a new contract. It seems that even if Trent were to take a pay cut the team would still be fine with letting him walk. The Raptors selected Trent’s replacement in the draft last week picking Ja’Kobe Walter in the first round. The team could still look to bring Trent back but it would take waving a player under contract or making a trade to do so.
Moves to be made
The Raptors still have the ability to make moves in the offseason. The Raptors have about $12.7 million in cap space left. The team also has about $33 million in expiring contracts with Bruce Brown and Chirs Boucher on the roster. Brown’s name has been floated as a trade chip since the Raptors acquired him last season. With the new collective bargaining agreement teams are hesitant to trade for a role player making so much money. Brown is owed $23 million next season but has shown he is capable of helping a contender at the highest level. It is still unclear what type of market if any Brown has.
Boucher saw his playing time disappear last season. Failing out of the main rotation halfway through the season. The 31-year-old forward is only making $10.8 next season which might make it easier for him to be moved. The team did look to trade him at the deadline but no deal materialized. If the Raptors are forced to cut any players Boucher who doesn’t fit the timeline or playstyle of the team might be the first to go. The Canadian forward could provide energy and size to a playoff team.
What’s next
The Raptors will continue to look for trades for Brown and Boucher. With both players being on expiring deal Toronto might be able to use them in a trade to take on a bad contract in exchange for future assets. The Raptors front office has made the direction of the team clear. Taking this year to develop the young guys on the roster. The team is set to enter the regular season with $12.7 million in cap space and it seems fine not to spend this money at the moment.
