The Raptors have come to terms with restricted free agent Patrick Patterson on a three-year, $18 million deal which will keep the power forward in Toronto.
Patterson was a key part of a Raptors team that qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2008 last year after going a franchise-record 48-34 during the regular season. Since becoming a Toronto Raptor as part of the December 2013 trade that sent Rudy Gay to Sacramento, Patterson has played 48 total games for the team, averaging nine points and five rebounds while only playing 23 minutes per game.
Despite Patterson not being good on the boards or protecting the rim, his tremendous shooting ability makes him a bargain for the Raptors, as many expected him to land a much higher-paying deal. An excellent insurance policy for Amir Johnson who can still contribute in a backup role, Patterson will be an crucial component for Toronto as they look to bulid on last season’s success and make the playoffs for the second straight year.
While Raptors general manager Masai Uriji definitely deserves credit for bringing both Patrick Patterson and star point guard Kyle Lowry back on very reasonable long-term deals, it really comes as no huge surprise that Patterson was willing to take less money to stay in Toronto , as he has never hid his praise for the team. At his end-of-season availability in May, he had the following to say:
“It was great here, [I] developed strong relationships with the staff, the organization, my teammates, embraced the city and the fans. Overall I had a great time. Out of all the stops I’ve been to, Houston and Sacramento, this is by far the best.”
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