A Toronto homecoming may not be a far-fetched idea for veteran wingman Vince Carter. According to Benny Nadeau of Basketball Insiders, the Raptors will be an intriguing destination for the player previously called "Air Canada." Carter, who already expressed his intention to play two more years of competitive basketball before hanging his basketball sneakers up for good, will be a target for many teams – including contenders – on a veteran minimum.
Vinsanity back in Toronto?
Nadeau believes the Boston Celtics seem to be a nice fit for 40-year-old veteran, who is still shooting really well from beyond the arc at 37 percent.
The analyst believes Carter’s floor-spacing ability, along with his strong defensive performance against Kawhi Leonard in the first-round series with the San Antonio Spurs will make him a legit option for teams looking for veteran leadership and contribution on their bench. Nadeau thinks Brad Stevens' pace-and-space offense in Boston will be a good fit for Carter.
Then again, Carter can always come "home" if he wants to. Despite the backlash he received after leaving the Raptors via trade to the New Jersey Nets in 2005, Carter would be a great addition to Toronto, as he brings not only the feeling of nostalgia, but solid contributions needed to win.
As for the Grizzlies, they haven’t shown any sign of retaining Carter’s services, which is understandable since they have Free Agency priorities (JaMychal Green and Tony Allen) lined up.
Contract problems
Lowry will have seven days from the date of the Raptors’ final postseason game to decide on his team option. Nevertheless, he’s expected to hit the free agency market where he can command up to $25M per year. Bobby Marks of the Vertical thinks the Raptors front office will be hard-pressed to retain the services of Lowry, Patrick Patterson, P.J Tucker and Serge Ibaka, who has gained significant leverage in free agency negotiations with his solid playoff run with the Raptors.
Playoff adjustments
The Raptors are in a precarious position after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first two games of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference series.
Although this isn’t the first time that the Raptors have found themselves in an 0-2 hole against the Cavaliers, head coach Dwane Casey will likely resort to a "small ball" approach moving forward.
The Raptors will need to come up with a new strategy to offset the Cavaliers’ blitzing small ball offense that has been tearing them apart. Jonas Valanciunas will likely come off the bench again, as Casey looks to bring Norman Powell to the starting lineup.
