How Could The Toronto Raptors Replace Fred VanVleet?

The long-term future of Fred VanVleet is one of the biggest question marks that are hanging over this off-season for the Toronto Raptors. VanVleet has yet to commit his future to any franchise at this moment, but there is still an expectancy that he will be with the Raptors next season.

It can’t be understated how important the decision that VanVleet makes is for the Raptors and their plans moving forward, as he was one of the stars of the season for the Canadian franchise in 2019-20.

VanVleet’s number rose across the board last season, which highlighted that he was one of the players that took on a bigger role following the departure of Kawhi Leonard to the Los Angeles Clippers.

He played more minutes last season and averaged 17.6 points per game, which was higher than the 11 points that he averaged in the championship-winning campaign.

Meanwhile, he had a better success rate from beyond the arc and averaged 3.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists. With all these stats, it is fair to say that VanVleet was one of the best underrated NBA players in this last season.

However, that successful season means that there will now be other teams looking enviously at the Raptors man, which means that the franchise must plan for the worst-case scenario. But, which players could the Raptors target if they are to lose one of their most important stars?

Goran Dragic

One of the players that the Raptors could target was one of the stars that led the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals. Goran Dragic was one of the standout players for the Heat during the post-season, as his knowledge on the court played a pivotal part in them edging past the Boston Celtics to make the finals.

Age would certainly be one of the factors that would go against Dragic, as VanVleet is certainly a player that the Raptors would be able to build their future around. Dragic would simply be a short-term fix before the Raptors find the star that they can build a fresh team around.

However, there is no doubting with the numbers that Dragic was pulling in last season. Dragic averaged 28.2 minutes on the court last season and scored an average of 16.2 points per game. He also averaged higher assists and rebounds throughout the season, while he made 0.2 blocks and 0.7 steals.

Norman Powell

The Raptors could instead opt to replace VanVleet with a player already with the franchise, as Norman Powell is one of the players that reached new heights with his game last season. ‘Playoff Powell’ as he was labelled by the Raptors faithful was one of the men to step up to the occasion during the off-season, as he continuously posted big numbers throughout the playoffs.

There have always been questions regarding whether he could step up to become a regular starter for the Raptors, and he may have the chance to answer them questions next season should VanVleet opt to leave the Raptors and sign for another team in the NBA. Powell would certainly be deserving of his chance, as the number that he was posting last season were impressing.

He averaged 28.4 minutes on the court, which was more than ten minutes longer than the season before. He also averaged double the number of points that he did in 2018, while he also averaged 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals, which were all higher averages than in the championship-winning season.

Sometimes the best situation for teams in the same situation as the Raptors could find themselves in is to trust what you already have. Giving the opportunity to a player that has been waiting in the wings for their chance might be their best shot.