:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71035613/1240188014.0.jpg)
The Toronto Raptors aren’t known for making big splashes. When the NBA Free Agency moratorium lifted — or rather, minutes before the moratorium lifted, hi tampering fans — it seemed suddenly like every team was making a deal, many involving superstars on super-max contracts.
And then, 20 minutes after the chaos began, the Raps snuck in by re-signing one of their key guys — Montreal’s own Chris Boucher — to a very reasonable contract.
Chris Boucher is returning to the Toronto Raptors on a three-year, $35.25M deal, his agent Sam Permut of @RocNationSports tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022
As Adrian Wojnarowski reports, news of the deal comes directly from Boucher’s agent, so we can take this one to the bank!
Now — what do we make of the deal? I think it’s a beauty. A reasonable term, a reasonable price. It’s also very tradeable! (As of December 15, anyway.) I thought the Raptors might pay a little more — I thought some other team might pay a lot more, pricing the Raptors out — but I’m pleased that they’re getting Chris back on this deal.
This is a nice salary that can be added to a trade (not immediately, obviously) that the Raptors were lacking last year, too. Raps had nobody between Barnes and Trent on the salary scale last year, making trades awkward.
— (((Eric Koreen))) (@ekoreen) June 30, 2022
In 80 games last year, Boucher averaged 9 points and 6 boards on 46/30/78 shooting splits. But take out his disastrous first two months of the year, and the shooting numbers jump to 48/36/79. Beyond that, Boucher’s energy on a very short bench unit was critical to the Raptors’ success down the stretch — and he averaged 11 points and 6 boards on 62/40/90 splits in the postseason!
Loading comments...