FanPost

Raptors Expiring Contracts

So far away from where we want to be, but so close to acquiring a key piece to getting there.

The Raptor's season is all but finished with only a few loose threads to tie up. Looking back to the season's start I remember the general consensus around the HQ was that this year's squad was AT BEST a 30 win team, but likely a 20-25 win team. Well, being right normally feels good. It hasn't felt good, scraping the bottom of the barrel, but that part wasn't supposed to.

We have pride.

We may not have the product, but we have pride.

All teams face struggles throughout the course of a season. Some over-talented clubs, in South Beach for example, have struggled with living up to the hype. Some teams have dealt with a constantly depleted roster. Some teams are the Cavaliers. But every team tries to take the players that they have available and win as many games as possible. The Raptors are no different and the Raptors have made no excuses.

You won't find one single player on the roster who says he wants to "tank" the rest of the season to get a better bailout in the draft. These are professional athletes for starters. While we all know that in itself doesn't guarantee maximum effort past All Star Weekend (cough Bosh cough), the active players on this team have almost across the board done the best they know how to try and win. This team has pride.

Every young player wants to prove he belongs. Every "old guy" wants to show he still has what it takes. Every bench player wants to show he has something that merits his spot in the rotation.

That being said, there are some players in the locker room who have to be looking over their shoulders as the season fades. 5 of our guys are without a contract for next year. Sonny Weems, Julian Wright, Joey Dorsey, Reggie Evans and Alexis Ajinca all run out of time after 9 more games. Will they have an opportunity to make one last impression on management? Will their season end without getting to tearaway those warmups one last time?

Some of these guys are wondering if they will be a Raptor next year. I'm sure a few are wondering if they'll even be in the league.

Put yourself in Colangelo's shoes now and tell me who, if any, of these proud athletes you would offer a new contract, and who you'd be buying a plane ticket and the classifieds.

Tie up some loose threads.