Figured we might as well look at the 12-13 Raptors in this first post so everyone can familiarize themselves with a roster that's had a decent amount of turnover.
First up, who's gone from last year's team (only counting players who were on the roster at season's end. So not Barbosa, for example):
DEPARTURES
PG/SG Jerryd Bayless: A casualty of adding Kyle Lowry, Bayless' qualifying offer had to be rescinded and he was snapped up by the Memphis Grizzlies. Unfortunate, but with Lowry in and Calderon still on board, there wouldn't have been any playing time for him.
SF James Johnson: Traded to Sacramento, Johnson reportedly clashed with the Raptors coaching staff over his role with the team and what was expected out of him (IIRC, the coaches wanted him to devote himself to being a defensive stopper, while Johnson was more interested in continuing to try and be a scorer as well) and in the end, management chose to side with Dwane Casey instead of Johnson.
SG/SF Gary Forbes: Traded to Houston for Kyle Lowry. Forbes' impact on the team was minimal and he spent most of his Raptors tenure stapled to the end of the bench or being a garbage time or injury fill-in. He won't be missed.
PG Ben Uzoh: Brought in on 10-day contracts to fill the void created by injuries, Uzoh did well, but he wasn't coming back after the Raptors acquired Lowry and John Lucas to shore up the PG spot. He recently signed with a team in France.
C Jamaal Magloire: Relegated largely to being a bench player and cheerleader because of a crippling lack of ability on the court, he was not re-signed and currently sits as a free agent awaiting a team offering him a contract.
C Solomon Alabi: Played 26 games in 2 seasons with the Raptors, averaging unremarkable stats and playing mostly in garbage time against inferior competition. After failing to make any meaningful improvement in his time in both the NBA and the D-League, the team chose not to pick up his contract option for this year. He is currently an Unrestricted Free Agent.
And now the current roster. Players are being listed alphabetically.
Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 | 15-16 |
| $665,000 | $778,872 | $915,243* | RFA |
*Non-Guaranteed year
11-12 Stats
None, this will be his rookie year
Player Breakdown
Strengths: Strong, thick-bodied interior player with a huge wingspan who can rebound well and play in the post. Shows a surprising mid-range game for a guy who is an under-the-basket player (not a
good mid-range game, but better than you'd expect for players of his ilk). Has a high basketball IQ and an excellent motor and knows his role
Flaws: Undersized for the PF, but not athletic enough to be a SF. His overall offensive game is quite raw and most of his points (which will likely be sparse) will probably come from garbage buckets and dunks.
Role expectation: Reggie Evans/Jerome Williams lunchpail-type guy that Raptors fans love far beyond the limited contributions they make on the stat sheet. But to start the season at least, he'll likely be stapled to the bench as a scratch until/unless there are injuries or trades that thin out the frontcourt depth.
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Contract
11-12 Stats
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
|---|
| 17(12) | 27.1 | 9.6 | .387 | .393 | .85 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.18 | 0.29 | 8.7 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: A good scorer with range out to the 3 point line. Is capable of breaking down defenders to get offensive chances. Not overly athletic, but good enough to beat defenders off the dribble. Can get hot and rack up points in bunches.
Flaws: Is not the defender or rebounder that was expected of him coming out of college. Has limited NBA experience in spite of being 29.
Role Expectation: He will likely be the 3rd option off the bench at SF and occasionally at SG and can be a "microwave" scoring option for a second unit if there are injuries or trades.
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 | 15-16 |
| $10,000,000 | $10,750,000 | $11,500,000* | UFA |
*Early Termination Option
11-12 Stats
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
|---|
| 31(31) | 33.3 | 19.5 | .432 | .296 | .87 | 2.0 | 5.5 | 0.48 | 0.58 | 18.0 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: A matchup nightmare as a legitimate 7-footer with deep range out behind the 3 point line, and enough athleticism to get by many of the league's power forwards and centers. A deadeye shooter and capable passer, he can quickly rack up 20+ points seemingly effortlessly. Not a great defender, his size and athletic ability do let him block shots as a help defender.
Flaws: While he has shown improvements, he's neither a great rebound or overall defender. He is also slender and not physical or tough, which means that he gets pushed around on defence and not as effective under the basket on offence. It also means that he is more easily boxed out on rebound opportunities. It remains to be seen if he can show any further improvements or if he'll forever be an excellent offensive player who has his contributions somewhat undone by porous defence.
Role Expectation: Once again he will be the Raptors' starting PF and relied on as the primary scorer for the team. He will also have to start strong to avoid being stuck in the downswing he experienced at the end of the 11-12 season upon returning from injury. If he doesn't assert himself offensively and at least show some passable defence, the rumor mill could start up once again with trade scenarios.
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Contract
11-12 Stats
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
|---|
| 53(53) | 33.9 | 10.5 | .457 | .423 | .88 | 8.8 | 3.0 | 0.06 | 0.89 | 16.7 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: One of the best distributors in the league, Calderon's calling card is his ability to run an NBA offence smoothly and efficiently without turning the ball over. He's also an excellent shooter from behind the arc and the free throw line, and is able to cut to the basket and score in spite of his diminishing athletic ability.
Flaws: Now into his 30s, Calderon's athleticism has taken a hit both due to age and due to a string of leg and ankle injuries. As a result, while he's still able to attack the basket, he's not as effective in the interior as he used to be, and he's been downgraded on defence from "sub-par" to "atrocious".
Role Expectation: With the arrival of Kyle Lowry by trade, Calderon's time in Toronto is seemingly coming to an end. As an expiring contract that's far too pricey to come off the bench, it's just a matter of how long into the season we go before some GM makes Bryan Colangelo an offer he finds acceptable to part with Calderon for. Until then, Calderon will lead the second unit from the point and help facilitate the offence for the Raptors' bench players.
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 |
| $2,207,040 | $3,153,860* | RFA |
*Team Option
11-12 Stats
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
|---|
| 66(9) | 23.2 | 6.3 | .513 | .000 | .67 | 0.9 | 6.6 | 0.95 | 0.61 | 14.2 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: Davis' domain is under the basket, where he can rebound, block shots, and score from the post. He's not a great shooter, but he can face up and stick jumpers when necessary, and has good size to be able to handle the league's power forwards.
Flaws: While he's tall enough, Davis needs to add bulk to his frame in order to defend better and push around the opposition while on offence. He's also raw on offence, as his post game and jumper are still undeveloped and in need of refinement. He also at times displays what appears to be a lackadaisical attitude and doesn't assert himself when he has an advantage, or allows himself to be pushed around by players he should be able to stand up to.
Role Expectation: Unless he badly falters in training camp, Davis would seem to be the primary offensive option off the bench at PF. Though he will still likely split that bench PF time with Amir Johnson if Johnson is not needed as much at center. This will be an important year for Davis to show he can make some leaps forward in his effort level and offensive skill, especially if Bargnani struggles or gets hurt, as Davis would likely be the player tabbed to replace Bargs if he were out of the picture (via injury or trade)
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Contract
11-12 Stats
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
|---|
| 63(63) | 35.0 | 16.7 | .422 | .261 | .81 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 0.27 | 0.76 | 12.9 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: An athletic swingman with good height to match up at both the 2 and the 3 positions. DeRozan is an explosive leaper who can sky over defenders and attack the basket, and has shown an ability to hit jumpers from mid-range. When he's on his game, he is a capable scorer who can carry the offence for stretches.
Flaws: For all his athletic gifts, DeRozan is very unpolished and unfocused defensively, as he is not particularly strong guarding his man or grabbing rebounds. He also has limited shooting range past 15-20 feet, and struggles to hit shots from behind the 3-point line. This is exacerbated by the fact that he doesn't
act like he has trouble from range, as he will freely jack up threes if he has trouble breaking down his man or if the D backs off when he's behind the line. He's also not much of a ball-handler for someone of his skill-set and play style, so he isn't able to break down his man in one-on-one situations as easily as you might hope. He's also prone to cold streaks and becomes passive and a non-factor in games if his shot isn't falling and he can't get to the rim. He's also quite skinny and could use a bit more muscle to be able to power through interior defences.
Role Expectation: DeRozan will once again be the primary option at SG for the Raptors, and must prove that he can be more consistent and adapt his play style more to suit his skills instead of firing bad shots from deep and settling for jumpers because he can't beat his man off the dribble. Especially with Ross in the fold (who is in many ways similar to DeRozan) he has to either show he can be better at what he does, or do more across the board in terms of defending and rebounding.
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 | 15-16 |
| $6,250,000 | $6,250,000 | $6,250,000 | UFA |
11-12 Stats (With New York)
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
|---|
| 66(62) | 28.7 | 8.8 | .460 | .256 | .56 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 12.7 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: Fields' biggest asset is his legitimate SF size and his high basketball IQ. He is able to knife through defences and score in a variety of ways by exploiting weaknesses in the defence. He's also a very capable rebounder, especially for someone who played a lot of SG the past couple years, and doesn't foul often, which allows him to stay in the game.
Flaws: His jumper is inconsistent and a little awkward, and though he showed good 3-point shooting in his rookie year, those numbers regressed last season and it was that lower percentage that is more in line with his college shooting stats. He's also not much of a ball-handler and though he's tall enough for a 2/3 role, he's undersized in terms of mass. He's also not a great defender.
Role Expectation: Fields will almost assuredly never live up to the big contract he signed as part of the Raptors' gamble to get Steve Nash, but he will likely start the season as the starting SF and will be counted on to rebound well and be a 3rd/4th option on offence for that starting unit while not allowing himself to be exploited defensively.
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 |
| $2,575,000 | $2,690,875* | UFA |
*Player Option
NOTE: Gray was signed with one of the mid-level exceptions in order to avoid normal salary cap restrictions. This MLE contract
must be worth the amount that Gray received. So before anyone complains about how much money he got, if the Raptors wanted to keep him, they had to pay him this much, and they wouldn't likely have found a suitable upgrade/replacement on the open market with that same deal.
11-12 Stats
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
|---|
| 49(40) | 16.6 | 3.9 | .516 | .000 | .53 | 0.6 | 5.7 | 0.35 | 0.45 | 11.1 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: Gray is a big body who stays under the basket and can rebound and block shots. He's not terribly agile, but is still more mobile than one might expect for someone of his size. His size and strength allow him to stand up to opposing big men and avoid being pushed around. While hie doesn't have much of an offensive game, he can occasionally get points on putbacks and interior post moves.
Flaws: His offensive game is simplistic and limited as he has no shot to speak of, including from the free throw line. While his size allows him to hang with other burly centers, he doesn't use it actively to push around the opposition.
Role Expectation: Gray will likely start the year as the Raptors' starting center and will be expected to help mentor Jonas Valanciunas in his transition to the NBA. It might not be out of the question for him to be relegated to a bench role by season's end with Valanciunas starting, and if that is the case it will allow him to settle into a reserve role that is more suited to his skill set.
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 |
| $6,000,000 | $6,500,000 | $7,050,000* |
*Non-Guaranteed year
11-12 Stats
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
|---|
| 64(43) | 24.3 | 7.1 | .576 | .400 | .69 | 1.2 | 6.4 | 1.08 | 0.52 | 14.4 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: Possesses exceptional athleticism for his size and is capable of attacking the basket or aggressively defending, as well as grabbing rebounds. Is at his best as a "sparkplug" type player who can come into the game and infuse the team with his energy. While not a high-flyer, he has enough jumping ability to get past defenders and get baskets in tight, while also hitting shots from a respectable range.
Flaws: His defence is almost entirely based on his athleticism and energetic, aggressive style of play, which can be exploited by smarter offensive players. It also gets him into trouble with fouls as he can easily get caught out of position and goaded into contact. While he has played some center out of necessity, he is undersized for both the C and PF positions at just 6'9.
Role Expectation: Amir will likely continue to be the energy guy off the bench, with more of his minutes coming at the PF now that Gray and Valanciunas are firmly entrenched as the team's centers. If he can cut down on his foul rate, he could find himself as the second unit PF, but until then it's likely that he will more consistently split time with Davis and it will be Davis that gets in for key offensive situations.
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 |
| $4,600,000 | $4,600,000* | UFA |
*Player Option
11-12 Stats
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
|---|
| 49(3) | 21.6 | 9.7 | .402 | .346 | .81 | 0.9 | 4.1 | 0.08 | 0.47 | 12.5 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: A surprising athlete, Kleiza has a well-rounded game offensively with scoring range stretching all the way from underneath the hoop out to beyond the arc. He's also smart enough to operate down low as a defender and grab some rebounds. When he gets hot, he can hit shots in bunches from all over the court and provide a lot of offence off the bench.
Flaws: He has had microfracture knee surgery which has robbed him of some of his athleticism and necessitated a shift into a slightly more perimeter-oriented game that cuts his rebounding totals and interior scoring. He's also not great as a defender and not a passer, which means that the offence can often stop with him if the ball gets into his hands and he's not locked in on his shot. His wonky knees could fail him at any time and effectively end his career.
Role Expectation: Kleiza is likely to come off the bench as the primary backup SF and on occasion shoot his way into an offensive outburst to lead the second unit in scoring. There's also some expectation that his Lithuanian heritage might mean he would be somewhat of a mentor for Valanciunas to adapt to North American life (something Kleiza has done successfully, as he has been away from Europe since he played NCAA ball, save for one year spent in Greece before joining the Raptors)
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 |
| $5,750,000 | $6,210,000* | UFA |
*Non-Guaranteed year
11-12 Stats (with Houston)
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
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| 47(38) | 32.1 | 14.3 | .409 | .374 | .86 | 6.6 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 18.9 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: Blazing fast and able to blow by defenders and penetrate to the basket to score. Can also shoot from behind the arc. In spite of his athleticism and scoring prowess, he's still a pass-first point guard who is very good at finding the open man. Is solidly built, an elite defender at his position, and displays a surprising knack for getting rebounds for such a small guard. Shows excellent instincts for steals.
Flaws: at 6'0 he's somewhat small even for a PG. He can also sometimes get overconfident, which leads to bad shots when he looks for his offence, and a tendency to play out of control and force bad passes when he's looking for other players. Can be turnover-prone at times.
Role Expectation: With the trade that brings him in from the Rockets, Lowry has basically been handed the keys to the Raptors and will be the starting PG and a primary offensive focal point for Coach Casey. The defensive minded Raptors coach will also likely love Lowry's defensive prowess and he will anchor Toronto's continued defensive evolution. While he has big shoes to fill replacing Calderon as the team's starting PG, he should win over fans with his aggressive, active play style and two-way play.
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 |
| $1,500,000 | $1,567,000* | UFA |
*Team Option
11-12 Stats (with Chicago)
| GP(GS) | MPG | PPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | APG | RPG | BPG | SPG | PER |
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| 49(2) | 14.8 | 7.5 | .399 | .393 | .88 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 16.4 |
Player Breakdown
Strengths: A solid ball-handler and capable distributor who can come off the bench and run the offence as well as score points in bunches. Has good shooting range. Can provide short runs as a capable backup in case of injuries.
Flaws: Severely undersized and not an explosive enough athlete to overcome it. Those traits limit his defensive effectiveness. While he's a good distributor, he's not a great one, and good defenders can shut him down fairly easily if given the chance. Is pretty much relegated entirely to a depth PG role, as he isn't a long-term starter or primary backup.
Role Expectation: Is firmly set as the 3rd point guard, and will likely not see the floor much unless one of the primary two PGs get hurt or if/when Calderon gets traded and another point doesn't come back in return.
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 | 15-16 | 16-17 |
| $2,563,320 | $2,678,640 | $2,793,960* | $3,553,917* | RFA |
*Team Option
11-12 Stats
None, this will be his rookie year
Player Breakdown
Strengths: An excellent athlete who can slash and attack the basket, but also has a 3-point shot to space the floor. Has an excellent motor and competes hard on defence and for rebounds. A capable passer.
Flaws: Has never been an alpha-type player who takes charge and demands the ball. Not a great ball-handler and not experienced at creating his own shot on a regular basis. Needs to bulk up to handle the rigours of the NBA
Role Expectation: Will start the season as the probable second unit SG, but given that his skill set largely overlaps with DeMar DeRozan (and that Ross does several things that DeRozan doesn't), it might not be long before Ross challenges DeRozan for the starting SG job unless DeMar shows some appreciable improvements this year.
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Contract
| 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 | 15-16 | 16-17 |
| $3,374,640 | $3,526,440 | $3,678,360* | $4,660,482* | RFA |
*Team Option
11-12 Stats
None, this will be his rookie year
Player Breakdown
Strengths: An aggressive, energetic player around the basket. Shows excellent offensive potential. Is a solid rebounder and shot-blocker, and shows the makings of a very good interior defender. A good offensive player facing the basket.
Flaws: His game is still raw overall and he will have to refine his post play to be a complete NBA center. While he possess excellent size, he could stand to bulk up somewhat.
Role Expectation: He will start the season as the backup center most likely, which should help curtail the hype machine a little bit. However, his improvement over the course of the year will likely be one of the biggest storylines for the team.
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Probable Depth Chart
Here's how the Raptors depth chart for the upcoming season will likely look, barring any trades or moves between now and then.
| POS | STARTER | 2ND UNIT | RESERVE | RESERVE #2 |
| PG | Lowry | Calderon | Lucas | |
| SG | DeRozan | Ross | Anderson | |
| SF | Fields | Kleiza | Anderson | |
| PF | Bargnani | Davis | Johnson | Acy |
| C | Gray | Valanciunas | Johnson | |
In spite of being listed as the #3 PF and C, Johnson will likely get a lot of minutes at both positions in order to spell the starters and not over-work Valanciunas. Also I've got 14 guys listed and you can only dress 12 per game, which likely means that Acy and Lucas sit on the sidelines in suits when no one is injured.
I might add more stuff if I feel like it later. We'll see.
