Though the Toronto Raptors failed to make the playoffs this past season, you cannot really call them a bottom-feeding team nor an organization that's about to press the reset button. Lest we forget, they still have the likes of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby in the fold. This team is credible enough to make the playoffs.
However, with the impending departure of Kyle Lowry — their leader and franchise guy for the past few years — the Raptors may experience trouble in locking in a playoff spot. Without Lowry, there will be a huge void at the point guard spot. Fortunately for Masai Ujiri and crew, there are three credible guards who can fill this spot. As a cherry on top, the Raptors have enough cap space to acquire one of these players.
Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball is one of the best point guards available in free agency. Since entering the league in 2017 as the second overall pick, Ball showed off his next-level playmaking abilities and vision. While his jump shot was a cause of concern, Ball worked his tail off to fix his mechanics. Gone are the days where fans cringed at his funky slingshot jumper. Last season, Ball shot a career-high 41.4 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from deep.
Ball knocked down a total of 172 3-pointers, which ranked 21st in the league. This number is more than known knockdown shooters such as Paul George (171), Gary Trent Jr. (165), Kyrie Irving (152), Bradley Beal (130), and Jamal Murray (129), just to name a few. Despite all this his improvement, all the reporting out there seems to suggest the New Orleans Pelicans don't want to match a large offer sheet for Ball. The Pelicans are looking at other point guard options, so Ball seems to be there for the taking.
Whatever the case may be, Ball is the perfect guard for any team — rebuilding or not. As a pass-first player, Ball is bound to make his teammates better. Looking at the Raptors, they still have a good crop of players. They just need that lone player who could unveil their potential. This player could be Ball.
Dennis Schroder
Schroder declined a four-year, $84 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this year. Reports reveal that he's looking to ink a $25 million per season deal. The Raptors can accommodate this (whether they actually pay him that is another matter), and they have had interest in Schroder in the past. At the trade deadline, reports surfaced that they were willing to ship Kyle Lowry in exchange for the German guard.
Good for the Raptors for spotting Schroder's talent and fit with the team. He's what you call a combo guard in today's basketball. Schroder is someone who can play the traditional role of a point guard, having averaged as high as 6.3 assists per game for his career. Swishing the net isn't a problem for him. Last season, he put up 15.4 points per game. At one point in his career, Schroder averaged 19.4 points.
We can say that his stint with the Lakers isn't indicative of the German's current abilities. While he was productive, Lakers fans observed that he had a hard time fitting in with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. A change in environment may be the right move for Schroder. Toronto is the best option for him right now given the need for a dependable point guard, though, again, it still is hard to envision him getting that $25 million per season he wants.
Spencer Dinwiddie
Spencer Dinwiddie is another player on this list who's looking to get paid a hefty sum. As of writing, the Washington Wizards are reportedly interested in the combo guard to replace Russell Westbrook. The New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks have a ton of cap space and will surely look into him. The Pelicans could pivot to Dinwiddie if they indeed lose out on Lowry. There will surely be other suitors.
To recall, before the Brooklyn Nets turned into a superteam, they raised eyebrows of fans and analysts as the best team without a star player. It was Dinwiddie who shared the limelight with D'Angelo Russell as the two players most responsible for the Nets' stellar performance. The Nets were subsequently tagged as a serious up-and-coming team. Lo and behold, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were so impressed that they both joined the organization. As we all know, James Harden jumped on the bandwagon later on.
While this was good for the Nets, looking from Dinwiddie's perspective, his role is diminished by the presence of three superstars. The guard wants to get paid and have the big role he deserves. The Raptors shouldn't be too concerned about his ACL injury that he just recovered from.
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