What a season it has been for the Toronto Raptors! The team entered this season as complete underdogs, with the expectation that they'll be in a “rebuilding” phase for this year. However, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, and the rest of the Raps all decided they didn't want to lose, and they barged their way to the fifth seed in the playoffs.
Against the Sixers, though, some of their faults were exposed. Luckily for the Raptors, these flaws are easily fixed, and can be remedied with the addition of certain players. Let's look at some of the early free agents the Raptors should target in the 2022 offseason.
3 early targets for Raptors in 2022 NBA free agency
Jusuf Nurkic
The Raptors built their defensive identity this season on their length and size on the perimeter. Masai Ujiri went all-in on the idea of position-less basketball and grabbed as many 6'8 – 6'9 guys for the team. As a result, they had one of the most disruptive defenses in the league due to their combined length and quickness.
Facing off against Joel Embiid, however, a glaring weakness was found; one that Raptors fans already saw coming a mile away. This team BADLY needs a traditional big man.
Prying Jusuf Nurkic from the Portland Trail Blazers during free agency might be tough, but it's something that the Raptors brass should try. The Bosnian Beast is one of the best traditional bigs on the market right now, and his defense will make him a perfect fit in Nick Nurse's scheme. He's also a fantastic playmaker from the post, which could bring out some of Nurse's old sets with Marc Gasol.
Gary Harris
From one former Denver player to another, Gary Harris could be another intriguing option for the Raptors in free agency. The Raptors have been rather light on shooting and defense from their bench this season. The backcourt, in particular, was a problem: Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Malachi Flynn are not the answers for them.
This is where Harris comes into play. The Magic guard has struggled to regain his past form over the last few years due to injuries. It's what got him traded from Denver for Aaron Gordon, after all. Last season, however, Harris showed signs of life in Orlando, scoring 11.1 points on efficient shooting from deep while playing his trademark defense.
Signing Gary Harris would benefit both himself and the Raptors. Harris would get a chance to prove that he's still a valuable player on a playoff team like Toronto (and earn a fat new contract as well). The Raps, on the other hand, will appreciate having a legitimate three-and-D player off the bench for the first time in a LONG while.
Donte DiVincenzo
The case for Donte DiVincenzo is similar to Gary Harris, albeit to a lesser extent. The ex-Bucks guard wasn't as good as Harris during the latter's peak, but he brings similar qualities to the table. A great defensive IQ and solid shooting from the outside is something that Nick Nurse truly values. If you can do both things at the same time, even better. DiVincenzo also reportedly wants out of his current team, the Sacramento Kings.
There's one complication for the Raptors, though, that might make DiVincenzo hard to get in free agency. The Kings guard will be a restricted free agent in 2022. What that means is that the Kings have an opportunity to match any contract that goes DiVincenzo's way. Because of that, they might overspend too much in trying to get him.
Still, if they can sign DiVincenzo at a reasonable rate, the Raptors should do what they can to nab him. Who knows, maybe he'll emulate another former Villanova Wildcat that played in Canada not too long ago.
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