Toronto Raptors

If the Toronto Raptors get their way, Fred VanVleet will be staying put for at least another four years. 

According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, "Toronto's hope" is to re-sign the point guard to a contract that is similar to the one the Indiana Pacers gave Malcolm Brogdon last offseason. Brogdon signed for four years and $85 million as part of a sign-and-trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Toronto took a chance on VanVleet as an undrafted free agent, and he has developed into one of the team's most important pieces.

He averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game during the 2019-20 campaign as someone who could hit from the outside (39.0 percent from three-point range), attack the rim or set up teammates for open looks.

VanVleet is also a formidable defender who can guard the opponent's best ball-handler on a nightly basis.

The Wichita State product was also an important cog in the 2018-19 championship team and will surely be remembered fondly forever by Raptors fans even if he does sign elsewhere.

That apparently isn't likely to be the case, as Ian Begley of SNY reported teams around the league largely believe VanVleet will re-sign with the only NBA team he has ever known. 

A contract mirroring the one Brogdon signed shouldn't be a long-term issue for the Raptors, either. According to Basketball Reference, Pascal Siakam is the only current member of the roster with fully guaranteed salaries past the 2020-21 campaign, although Norman Powell could change that if he picks up his player option for 2021-22.

The Toronto Raptors announced Friday that they will begin the 2020-21 NBA season playing their home games in Tampa, Florida.

Raptors president Masai Ujiri released a statement regarding the decision:

A statement from our president Masai Ujiri. pic.twitter.com/qrnPt5MEsA

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) November 20, 2020

Per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, the Raptors will play their home games at Amalie Arena, which is the home of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Canadian government and health officials shot down plans for the Raptors to play at their regular home venue of Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada has had restrictions in place regarding who can enter the country and for what purposes. A similar decision was handed down before the start of the 2020 MLB season, which forced the Toronto Blue Jays to play their home games in Buffalo, New York.

The NBA and NBPA recently agreed to start the 2020-21 NBA regular season Dec. 22 despite the fact that the 2020 NBA Finals didn't end until Oct. 11.

One of the biggest reasons behind the push for a quick turnaround was the uncertainty regarding when fans will be allowed to attend games. Since fans won't be permitted in the immediate future, the NBA had fewer reasons to delay the start of the season.

Also, even though players will have to deal with a truncated offseason and less rest than they are accustomed to, the Dec. 22 start allows for a 72-game season and won't result in significant salary cuts. The season will also end before the Olympics in Tokyo in July.

The hope is that fans will be allowed to attend games at some point during the season. Perhaps by that point, the Raptors will be able to resume playing at Scotiabank Arena, though that will ultimately be determined by whether Canadian officials allow teams traveling from the U.S. to enter the country.

The Raptors are just two seasons removed from winning their first championship thanks largely to the play of Kawhi Leonard, who subsequently signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Last season, Toronto went 53-19 before getting eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs.

Aside from their arena situation, the Raptors face a great deal of uncertainty ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry are expected to return as the team's top two stars, but guard Fred VanVleet, forward Serge Ibaka and center Marc Gasol are free agents.

If the Raptors are unable to re-sign any of them or replace them with comparable players, their seven-year run as Eastern Conference contenders could be in jeopardy.

Numerous NBA teams believe that free agent guard Fred VanVleet will "most likely" head back to the Toronto Raptors, per Ian Begley of SNY (1:08 mark). 

NBA free agency kicks off tomorrow.@IanBegley has you covered on where things stand with the Knicks 🏀: pic.twitter.com/s6l0x4UuLr

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) November 20, 2020

Begley made the comments during a video discussing the New York Knicks' free agency prospects.

"And then Fred VanVleet. Teams think that he's most likely to end up back in Toronto, so if I'm guessing … he wouldn't end up in New York," Begley said.

The Knicks are in need of a point guard, but they will have competition for the 26-year-old VanVleet, who averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game in his first full season as a Raptors' starter. He also shot a career-high 39.0 percent from three-point range.

The tenacious defender finished 10th out of 138 qualified shooting guards in defensive real plus-minus last year, per ESPN.com.

VanVleet broke out during the latter half of the Raptors' 2019 championship run. He averaged 14.7 points and 2.4 assists per contest over his last nine playoff games, shooting 51.1 percent from the field and 52.6 percent from three-point range along the way.

Toronto has the salary cap space to re-sign VanVleet to a long-term deal: Pascal Siakam is currently the only player with fully guaranteed salaries on the books past 2020-21, per Basketball-Reference. Norman Powell can pick up his $11.6 million player option for 2021-22 if he so chooses, however.

Elsewhere, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported on Oct. 14 that the Raptors were "betting favorites" to sign VanVleet but that the Knicks were interested in addition to other teams. John Hollinger of The Athletic listed the Detroit Pistons as having interest in a Nov. 2 piece.

Any of those teams could use VanVleet, who shouldn't have a shortage of options when the negotiating window opens on Friday.

Regardless of what team VanVleet chooses, the former Wichita State star will undoubtedly be signing a lucrative deal soon enough.

Jalen Harris, who poured in 21.7 points per game for Nevada last year, will be a member of the Toronto Raptors after going 59th overall in the 2020 NBA draft on Wednesday.

                          

Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: Jalen Harris

Position: PG/SG

Height: 6'5"

Weight: 195 lbs

Pro Comparison: Allonzo Trier

Scouting Report: Jalen Harris broke out last year to become one of the nation's and draft's top shot-creators and scorers. He's the type of player you can feed the ball to and ask to generate offense out of nothing. He will have a chance to carve out a career through his ability to get his own shot from all over the floor off ball screens and isolation.

              

Raptors Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Pascal Siakam, PF: $32.5M (2024)

Kyle Lowry, PG: $30.5M (2021)

Norman Powell, SG: $10.5M (2022)

Patrick McCaw, SG: $4M (2021)

Stanley Johnson, SF: $3.7M (2021)

OG Anunoby, SF: $2.4M (2021)

Matt Thomas, G: $1.4M (2022)

Terence Davis, SG: $1.2M (2021)

Malachi Flynn, PG: Rookie scale contract (2024)

Jalen Harris, PG/SG

             

Free Agents

Chris Boucher, PF: RFA

Dewan Hernandez, C: RFA

Fred VanVleet, PG: UFA

Malcolm Miller, SF: RFA

Marc Gasol, C: UFA

Oshae Brissett, PF: RFA

Paul Watson, G: RFA

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF: UFA

Serge Ibaka, PF: UFA

         

The Raptors loaded up at guard this year by selecting Mountain West Conference Player of the Year (and Defensive Player of the Year) Malachi Flynn as well as Davis, who transferred from Louisiana Tech before playing one season with the Wolf Pack.

Harris led Nevada to a second-place tie in the MWC standings behind Flynn's 17-1 San Diego State Aztecs. He shot 36.4 percent from three-point range en route to leading the conference in scoring.

The Toronto Raptors selected San Diego State guard Malachi Flynn with the 29th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft on Wednesday.

     

Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: Malachi Flynn

Position: PG

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 185 lbs

Pro Comparison: Fred VanVleet

Scouting Report: Malachi Flynn seemed ready to fly up boards during the NCAA tournament, but the pandemic eliminated that opportunity. He now has steal-of-the-draft potential. Flynn isn't an exciting athlete, but we've seen too many point guards excel without flashy tools or bounce, and he has the advanced ball skills, deep shooting range, IQ and pesky defense to overcome his physical limitations.

           

The 6'1" guard averaged 17.6 points on 44.1 percent shooting (37.3 percent from three-point range), 5.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds in his junior year for the 2019-20 San Diego State Aztecs, who went 26-0 before finishing their season 30-2.

Here's a look at where Flynn may fall on his new team's depth chart, as well as news and notes on his NBA prospects.

      

Raptors Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Pascal Siakam, PF: $32.5M (2024)

Kyle Lowry, PG: $30.5M (2021)

Norman Powell, SG: $10.5M (2022)

Patrick McCaw, SG: $4M (2021)

Stanley Johnson, SF: $3.7M (2021)

OG Anunoby, SF: $2.4M (2021)

Matt Thomas, G: $1.4M (2022)

Terence Davis, SG: $1.2M (2021)

Malachi Flynn, PG: Rookie scale contract (2024)

              

Free Agents

Chris Boucher, PF: RFA

Dewan Hernandez, C: RFA

Fred VanVleet, PG: UFA

Malcolm Miller, SF: RFA

Marc Gasol, C: UFA

Oshae Brissett, PF: RFA

Paul Watson, G: RFA

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF: UFA

Serge Ibaka, PF: UFA

     

Wasserman offered the following write-up about Flynn on Oct. 27 when placing him 20th on his big board:

"The conversation around Flynn seems to be changing, with more scouts thinking he could be picked in the first round. I have him in the top 20 and am unafraid about his limited size and athleticism. His pick-and-roll play could be the best in the class, while his three-point shooting and pesky defense help paint him as a complete point guard."

ESPN's Jonathan Givony listed the 2019-20 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year 31st overall on his big board.

Head coach Brian Dutcher also sang Flynn's praises to Givony:

"When he arrived on campus, we knew he was a uniquely talented basketball player. What we quickly learned was that he had an intense work ethic and a team-first mentality, which endeared him to his teammates and the community."

Zach Milner of The Stepien believes that Flynn's best-case pro scenario is as a starter.

"Starter who can play on the ball and create for himself and others out of the PnR or play off the ball and spot up / run off screens," Milner wrote. "Added strength helps him become a positive defender, even while being a smaller guard."

Flynn may compare best to Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, who is also a tough two-way guard that shined for a very successful mid-major school (Wichita State). They can also both shoot from the outside, helping add to their versatile skill sets.

Flynn notably mentioned VanVleet to Givony when discussing players he studies. He pointed out that his relative lack of athleticism meant he "needed to learn to find other ways to score, be pesky defensively and do the little things," noting that's the reason he studies "a lot of film on guys like Chris Paul and Fred VanVleet to see how they are able to carve out a niche in the NBA."

VanVleet became a starter on an NBA championship-winning team in his fourth NBA season and dominated in the 2019 NBA Finals. It's not impossible to see Flynn "carve out a niche" like VanVleet's.

Oddly enough, Flynn may replace VanVleet in the Raptors' rotation. The unrestricted free agent should be a hot commodity when the negotiating period officially opens Friday, although Raptors general manager Bobby Webster told reporters he "fully expects" him to re-sign with the team.

If VanVleet does leave, then Flynn could end up filling VanVleet's old role admirably as the Raptors look to contend for the NBA Finals crown once again.

Fred VanVleet is one of the NBA's top free agents this offseason. But before he signs a lucrative contract to remain with the Toronto Raptors or join a new organization, he took himself off the sneaker market.   

According to ESPN's Nick DePaula, VanVleet signed a multiyear deal with Chinese apparel and sneaker brand Li-Ning:

Update: Fred VanVleet officially signs with Li-Ning. https://t.co/1HKJTC0ggs pic.twitter.com/saEbzgkQvK

— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) November 16, 2020

He now joins current NBA players CJ McCollum, D'Angelo Russell and Udonis Haslem, 2020 NBA draft prospect RJ Hampton and future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade in the Li-Ning sponsorship family.

It's shaping up to be a big November for VanVleet. 

Stanley Johnson has exercised his $3.8 million player option to return to the Toronto Raptors for the 2020-21 season, according to Blake Murphy of The Athletic.

The Raptors have done a great job nurturing young players during Masai Ujiri's time in the front office. 

Pascal Siakam is the most obvious example, winning the NBA's Most Improved Player award in 2019 and becoming an All-Star in 2020. While not reaching those heights, OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell have all thrived north of the border.

Perhaps Ujiri envisioned Johnson being another success story.

The eighth overall pick in the 2015 draft, he spent his first three-and-a-half years with the Detroit Pistons.

His most famous moment in the Motor City came when he told reporters he was "definitely in [LeBron James'] head" during the 2016 playoffs. The Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Pistons, and James averaged 22.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists over the series.

Johnson moved on to the New Orleans Pelicans in February 2019 as part of a three-team trade.

Unfortunately for the 24-year-old, he was unable to adjust his trajectory too much in Toronto. He made 25 appearances for the Raptors, averaging 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds. He also shot 37.3 percent from the field and 7-of-24 from beyond the arc. He missed some time because of a stress reaction in his groin.

Johnson ranked 21st among small forwards in ESPN.com's real defensive plus-minus (plus-1.25) in 2018-19. While a solid defender, his inefficient shooting limits his overall ceiling and how much he sees the floor.

His decision to pick up his 2020-21 option wouldn't have been surprising under normal circumstances. The effects of the coronavirus pandemic gave Johnson even more incentive to wait until next summer to hit free agency. With so many teams having to tighten their belts due to lost revenue, a contract matching what he's set to earn may not have been sitting there now. 

Perhaps spending another full season in Toronto—one possibly not interrupted by a global pandemic—will help get his development back on track.

Of course, that assumes the Raptors don't ship him out of town and send him to his fourth franchise in six seasons.

Although Fred VanVleet could be in high demand entering free agency, the Toronto Raptors "maintain a quiet confidence" they can re-sign the guard, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.

"The relationship is good, the lines of communications remain open, they have history," Grange added.

An undrafted free agent, VanVleet has spent all four of his years in the NBA with the Raptors but is coming off a career year wherein he averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

The 26-year-old was an integral part of the Raptors' run to a championship in 2019, and he has made tremendous strides in each year of his career.

This has made him one of the top free agents on the market this offseason, and he is looking to cash in, as he explained to JJ Redick on The Old Man and the Three podcast:

Episode 25 is live with @fredvanvleet. Really great interview. Here’s Fred on what he’s expecting this off-season. Lots more to come from this @jj_redick @talter pic.twitter.com/uhktFui3fY

— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) November 11, 2020

"I'm trying to get paid man," VanVleet said. "I'm not shy about that."

This could hurt the Raptors' pursuit, especially with $30 million owed to Kyle Lowry next season. The team likely also wants to keep its flexibility open with a more exciting free-agent class in store for 2021.

According to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, the Raptors are reportedly a front-runner to land Giannis Antetokounmpo next year along with the Miami Heat.

Meanwhile, there should be several other contenders to sign VanVleet this offseason, with the New York Knicks reportedly interested, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

It could create a challenge for Toronto to retain one of its best players.

Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada's deputy chief of public health, said Friday the Toronto Raptors have presented a good plan to host games at Scotiabank Arena during the 2020-21 NBA season amid the COVID-19 pandemic but that cross-border travel between Canada and the United States "continues to be an issue," per the Canadian Press.

Njoo also noted that following protocols that were in place during the league's 2019-20 season finish at Walt Disney World would be "tough on everyone involved" since teams won't be in isolation. The bubble was a resounding success, with zero positive COVID-19 cases emerging.

The Canada-United States border is closed to non-essential travel, and those who do cross the border are subject to a 14-day quarantine, per the Canadian Press.

If the Raptors cannot play their home games in Toronto, the Tampa, Florida, area will be their most likely backup option, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.

Per Grange, the Raptors would need clearance from three levels of government to play in Toronto, which is the team's clear preference.

"If we can get it done in Toronto, we'd do it tomorrow," a team executive told Grange.

COVID-19 cases in Ontario and the United States are on the rise. Per CBC, Ontario recorded a daily record of 1,575 new cases Thursday. According to the COVID Tracking Project, the United States had 150,526 cases Thursday, a daily record for the country.

A 72-game NBA season is scheduled to begin Dec. 22.

The Toronto Raptors have had "preliminary conversations" about potentially playing their 2020-21 home games in Tampa, Florida, because of travel restrictions between the Canada/United States border amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tampa Bay Sports Commission executive director Rob Higgins said Thursday that the two sides have discussed the city as an alternate option if playing in Toronto proves unfeasible.

The Toronto Blue Jays were forced to play their 2020 season in Buffalo because of the pandemic. Travel between the neighboring countries has been restricted for months. The Raptors and the NBA would need a special exception in order for players to travel in and out of Canada for games.

Tampa is one of several alternate sites that have been discussed. Marc Berman of the New York Post reported the franchise was attempting to avoid playing in the Newark, New Jersey. Sharing Brooklyn's Barclays Center, or short-term stays in Seattle or Kansas City have also been discussed.

The Raptors play in the Atlantic Division, so Newark or Brooklyn are the sites that make the most sense from a travel standpoint.

The NBA is expected to heavily reduce travel in the shortened 72-game season.