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Imagine experiencing the joy of your birthday, first day of a new job, and holiday season all in the same week! NBA fans were treated to the draft, and the opening of both trade and free agency periods over the past few days. With seemingly half the NBA’s players moving to new cities, it’s ironic the only team to not do any signing or trades, was uprooted altogether!
Enjoy the latest episode of That’s A Rap, as we fly through the many transactions that occurred during this eventful week.
In This Episode:
3:00 — T.R.O.T. (Toronto Raptors of Tampa)
Despite their best efforts, Masai Ujiri and the front office could not convince the Canadian government to allow the Raptors to play their home games in Toronto. Instead, the Raptors will continue the NBA’s longest road trip, one that started in Denver in March, continued in the Disney bubble, and ultimately led them back to Florida.
13:50 — Flynnsanity begins
With the second-to-last pick in each of the two rounds, the Raptors selected a pair of bucket-getting guards in Malachi Flynn and Jalen Harris. The team addressed a glaring weakness from the bubble: shot creation. Flynn is more NBA-ready, with the defensive chops to boot, and should slide right into the backup Point Guard spot. Do these picks spell the end for Terence Davis?
29:50 — Moving day
Chris Paul’s a Sun. Jrue Holiday’s a Buck. Bogdan Bogdanovic is definitely not a Buck. Detroit has fallen in love with anyone taller than 6’9”. Daryl Morey has made his presence felt in Philadelphia and turned the Sixers into championship contenders again. Despite all that movement, the loudest noise from day one of free agency may have come from the two moves that did not happen.
By holding his free agency meetings the day after, Fred VanVleet — intentional or not — was able to get a clearer picture of which teams actually prioritized him. Every single suitor, except Toronto, spent enough of their respective cap space that the financial advantage they originally had over the Raptors is now negligible.
Every single minute/hour/day that passes without Giannis Antetokounmpo signing his super-max extension, you can almost hear the other 29 teams collectively licking their chops.