The Toronto Raptors once again made roster moves on Monday. The Raptors have made five roster moves over the past few days, including three yesterday. Last night, they also extended Kelly Olynyk for the next two seasons.
With these moves, the Raptors have made 17 transactions since the beginning of the season. As a result, the Raptors have used 27 players, which ties the Detroit Pistons for the most in the league this season.
The big question is how these moves will affect the Raptors.
Toronto Raptors Rumors: How Do The Raptors’ Recent Decisions Affect the Team for the Rest of the Year and the Future? Plus, Scottie Barnes Update
Toronto is 23-38 on the season. The Raptors are 12th in the Eastern Conference, three and one-half games behind theis included in the team release,is included in the team release, but the sense is that this will likely 10th-place Atlanta Hawks. They likely won’t have star forward Scottie Barnes for the rest of the year after he underwent surgery on his fractured hand, per TSN’s Josh Lewenberg.
Scottie Barnes underwent surgery to repair the fracture to the middle finger on his left hand, per the Raptors. No recovery timetable included in the team release but the sense is that this is likely to end his season.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) March 5, 2024
Barnes sustained a fracture to the third metacarpal bone of his left hand in the second quarter. The injury occurred in the second quarter of Friday’s night game against the Golden State Warriors when Immanuel Quickley inadvertently kicked Barnes’ hand as the two tried to contest a layup from Jonathan Kuminga.
Lewenberg relayed that the average time lost for 3rd metacarpal fractures that require surgery is 18 games and 41 days. The Raptors have 21 contests left over the final 40 days of the regular season.
The average time lost for 3rd metacarpal fractures that require surgery is 18 games/41 days, per @InStreetClothes. There are 21 games and 41 days left in the Raptors' season. No sense in rushing Barnes back, given how little is at stake and how important he is to their future.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) March 5, 2024
Trade deadline acquistion Ochai Agbaji started in place of Barnes in the Raptors victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. Agbaji turned in his best performance in his short stint with Toronto against Charlotte, tallying 13 points though he was just 6 of 20 from the field and 1 of 7 from the 3-point line. He added nine rebounds and two blocks over 33 minutes.
Expect Agbaji to continue to start at small forward and see extended minutes. Agbaji averages 6.1 points and 2.3 rebounds with a shooting slash line of .386/.259/.750 in 16 mintes with the Raptors. The 23-year-old is under contract for next season at $4.1 million and has a club option for next season.
Jordan Nwora also is line to see extra run. Nwora, acquired in the Pascal Siakam trade, contrbuted 11 points on 5 of 8 shooting and four rebounds in 18 minutes against the Hornets. It was his third double-figure scoring effort in 14 games for the Raptors
Nwora will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. So, the 25-year-old forward is essentially playing for his NBA life as his third team since being a second round pick in 2020.
Raptors Promote Javon Freeman-Liberty
Toronto got things rolling on Friday night by promoting Javon Freeman- Liberty from his two-way contract to a standard one. The deal is for the rest of this season and $1.8 million with a $100,000 partial guarantee. He will receive another $50,000,if not waived by July 23 and the guaranteed money increases to $800,000 if he on the team at the start of next season.
Freeman-Liberty is an athletic, scoring, two-way combo guard who is a capable distributor. He is a solid distributor, rebounder, and defender. However, he is a little undersized and not a great shooter or ball-handler.
The 24-year-old point guard went undrafted in 2022 and spent most of his professional career in the G-League. He has seen nearly five minutes of action ov er three appearances for the Raptors this year.
But with the Raptors in evaluation mode expect Freeman-Liberty to see considerably more action down the stretch. Which is exactly coach Darko Rajakovic suggested when the organization announced the move.
Freeman received a DNP-coaches decision on Sunday.
Mouhamadou Guye and DJ Carton Gets Tw0-Way Contract
Toronto also signed a pair of players who spent time with the Raptors on 10-day deals this season on a two-way deal yesterday. Mouhamadou Guye and DJ Carton are the players who received these pacts.
The Raptors signed Carton, who was waived following the conclusion of his 10-day deal with the team to make room for Freeman-Liberty. His deal appears to be just for the remainder of this season.
Carton is a 6-2 guard who play all three backcourt positions. The 23-year-old has been pretty efficient since going undrafted in 2021 though most off his time has been spent in the G-League. He has appeared in three games for the Raptors this season, averaging 3.3 points on 50% shooting from the field and 33% from the 3-point line.
Like Carton, Guye has spent most of his career in the G-League since going undrafted in 2022. His deal is also just for the remainder of the season.
Guye signed a 10-day contract last month with the Raptors, producing two points, three rebounds and two blocks in six minutes over one appearance.
Guye is an athletic 6-9 forward who is defensive standout who is very limited offensively. Ball-handling is an issue for the 25-year-old.
To make room for Guye, Toronto waived Marquis Nowell.
Nowell is very undersized, standing at 5-8, and 160-pounds and not an elite athlete. He appeared in one game for the Raptors, contributing two points, two assists and two rebounds over four minutes.
Nowell is likely a career G-Leaguer who may get occassional call-ups to the NBA due to his offensive ability. However, he could head overseas and make a good living.
Jahmi’us Ramsey Earns 10-Day Deal
Despite all the moves, Toronto still had an open roster which they filled with they did by inking Jahmi’us Ramsey to a 10-day deal yesterday.
Ramsey is a 6-3 guard who has a scorer’s mentality and improved as a 3-point shooter over time. He is also a good perimeter defender. Ball-handling and offensive efficiency is an issue for him.
Ramsey was a second round pick of the Sacramento Kings in 2020. The 22-year-old appeared in 32 games over two seasons for the Kings, averaging 3.2 points with a slash line of .414/.270/.632.
Ramsey was wived by the Kings in Februry 2022. He has spent the last two seasons with the G-League’s Oklahoma City Blue. Ramsey has averaged 20 points during the two seasons with the Blue while shooting over 50% from the field.
Ramsey totaled 20.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting .531/.406/.699. He will make $116,075 with the Raptors.
Kelly Olynyk Re-Ups With Raptors For Two Years
Toronto and Olynyk, who they acquired at the trade deadline, agreed to a two-year, $26.5 million extension on Monday night as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The 32-year-old big was slated for unrestricted free agency this summer.
Olynyk was eligible to receive an extension until June 30. He will receive slightly more than $12.8 million this year and 13.4 million in 2025-26 as a result of the extension. According to Lewenberg, the sides had been working on the extension since Olynk came on board.
Olynyk figures to be the first big off the bench next season, spending time at both the four and five. However, he is eligible to be traded in the offseason. But that seems unlikely.
Olynyk seems like a perfect fit for the Raptors. Olynyk is efficient around the rim while also having the ability to space the floor. He is a solid interior defender.
Olynyk averages 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds (1.4 offensive) while compiling a shooting slash line of .482/.369/.798.
With Olynyk in the fold, Toronto has 10 players under contract for next season, including Freeman-Liberty and Bruce Brown. Brown has a $23 million team option for next season.
Toronto projects to have $23.2 million in salary cap, but that figures grows to over $45 million, if Brown’s option isn’t exercised. The Raptors do have a couple of other big decisions to make with the big one involving around paying Immanuel Quickley, who is headed for free agency. Gary Trent Jr, will be an unrestricted free agent.
Toronto owns the Bird Rights to Quickley, Trent and Nwora. The Raptors potentially will have two first round choices as they own Indiana’s first round selection (top 3 protected) and may also have their own selection (top 6 protected). The Raptors own Detroit’s second round pick.
