The second day of free agency proved to be a very eventful one for the Toronto Raptors and their fans.
The reports coming out around lunchtime Saturday that Fred VanVleet was re-signing with Toronto had people veritably giddy on Twitter, both happy that VanVleet got the payday he deserved and because it didn’t completely break the bank for the Raptors, allowing them to keep their ambitious plans for the 2021 off-season intact.
Ibaka was one of the most popular members of the Raptors, turning himself into an engaging personality thanks to his active social media channels and YouTube page that saw him become a fashion icon, a celebrity chef and a comedian.
But as much as Ibaka will be missed for his endeavours off the court, on it is where the Raptors might really be in trouble without him.
VanVleet was unquestionably the Raptors’ top free-agent priority, but speaking strictly in terms of team depth, Toronto would’ve been OK had he decided to take his talents elsewhere, particularly after the club selected Malachi Flynn in the first round of Wednesday’s draft.
On the other hand, when looking at Toronto’s centre depth, with Ibaka gone and Marc Gasol also a free agent, the only players who fit in there are Dewan Hernandez and Chris Boucher — who is currently a restricted free agent but is likely to return.
That’s rather problematic for the Raptors, and even if you want to argue that the league is going small anyway, you’d still like to have someone who can start at the five for you, and neither Hernandez nor Boucher seem like they’re ready for that just yet.
Thus, it’s now rather important that Masai Ujiri, Bobby Webster and Co. go out and try to find a centre in the free agent market.
As this year’s free agency has shown, the market for centres is at about the full non-tax-payer mid-level exception (a starting salary of about $9.25 million), but if the Raptors don’t mind paying the luxury tax this season, they would have the room to go beyond that — something that could help them in their pursuit of starting-quality big men.
There are options to be had out there for the Raptors, and here are nine they may want to consider.
Probably the best option still available, Baynes is tough as nails, sets elite screens and even appeared to add a three-point shot to his game in what was a career year last season with Phoenix.
He may be a player slightly out of the Raptors’ price range, but the heart and hustle he plays with would make him an instant fan favourite if he were to join Toronto.
An actual fan favourite, Biyombo hasn’t been able to recapture the magic he had with the Raptors in the four seasons since he left Toronto in free agency.
Biyombo, no doubt, would make the Raptors stronger defensively, but his inability to shoot the ball may not make him the most attractive option.
With that said, it seems like he’d at least like to talk to the Raptors.
An athletic rim-running big, Cauley-Stein is a pretty good player, but he offers little in the way of versatility.
With his athleticism, he should be a better defender than he actually is, and he flat-out can’t shoot threes. And while he’s aware of what his game is and doesn’t take them, the skills he brings to the table may seem too comparable to those of Boucher’s, minus the outside shooting potential.
A sexy name, Cousins is a four-time all-star but has seen his career derailed by injury, playing just 95 games over the past four seasons and missing all of 2019-20 with an ACL issue.
At one point, Cousins was one of the best centres in the league, but after enduring so many injuries and having to go through all that rehab, it’s difficult to say what kind of player he may be now.
With that said, he could likely be had at the veteran minimum and if he’s anything close to the “Boogie” of old, then the Raptors would be hitting the jackpot.
Marc Gasol
Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones, and in the case of the Raptors, they might be able to solve this particular problem if they can convince Gasol to return.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, they — plus at least the Golden State Warriors — are in pursuit of Gasol at the moment.
There was understandably a lot of attention paid to the idea that the Raptors had to re-sign Ibaka, and that’s probably because while Ibaka had arguably his best season as a pro, Gasol may have just had his worst.
Gasol will be 36 near the end of January and his skills very well may have outright diminished, but coming off the NBA and FIBA championship in the summer of 2019 into last season, something always seemed off with Gasol, so there’s a chance 2019-20 was an anomaly and his game will return to him.
If Toronto can convince him to return at something like the veteran’s minimum (about $2.5 million) or something comparable, it would be worth the risk to find out if he still has more left in the tank.
At one point in his life, Giles was the No. 1 college recruit in the country. He was dubbed as the next great big man until he tore his ACL during his senior year of high school, derailing his development.
Though he doesn’t have the kind of freakish athleticism he featured in high school, Giles can still be an effective rim-runner and rim protector. He’s still only 22 years old coming off his second year in the NBA and there’s a chance there’s some untapped potential there that Toronto’s development staff would be able to draw out.
Kaminsky is a stretch-five who won’t do much for you on the glass or on defence, but he has offensive skill and would likely stand to benefit from getting more three-pointers up to increase his productivity.
He’s not the strongest candidate here for the Raptors, but the ability to shoot the ball, especially when you’re seven feet, will warrant you a look.
Len is an old-school bruising big with little athleticism and a poor outside shooting stroke, but he features plenty of hustle on the boards and, when given a chance, soft hands on the inside.
Len would likely fall outside of who the Raptors would look to target, as they’re an organization that values versatility. A player who’d do better playing in the 90s doesn’t exactly fit that bill.
Still, he’s an option who’s out there, and it’s never a bad idea to keep an open mind.
If the Raptors want rim protection, there are few in the league better than Whiteside, who’s an elite shot-blocker.
He doesn’t offer much in the way of outside shooting skill, nor is he much of a passer, but Whiteside can score the rock when given an opportunity to do so down low. His game would probably look like Jonas Valanciunas’s when he was with the Raptors, with the difference being that Whiteside is a much better defender.
These would all be enticing things for the Raptors, but the question is how expensive might he run them?
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.
The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.
Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.
There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.
Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.
But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.
The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”
The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.
Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.
Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.
Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.
Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.
“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”
“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.
Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.
Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.
The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.
Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.
Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.
Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.
Canada Roster
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).
Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).
Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).
Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
