Now that the Chines Basketball Association’s season is almost over, there are a few players who will be returning to the NBA hoping to get their lives back on track in the league that they love. Notable names include J.R Smith, Aaron Brooks, Kenyon Martin, and probably one of the more notable names, Wilson Chandler. Chandler averaged 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game last season and is sure to be sought after by many teams looking for a big man to give them some scoring and depth.
Now although Chandler will be sought after by many teams there is still one who has the clear upper hand on him, the team who he is essentially still a part of, the Denver Nuggets. Chandler is a restricted free-agent and the Nuggets, if willing, will be able to match any offer given to Chandler. But there is one team who really wants Chandler and will stop at almost nothing to get him and that is the Toronto Raptors. According to HoopsWorld (via multiple sources close to the situation) the Raptors are expected to make a large offer to Chandler.
The Raptors will have to wait a little longer for the chance to pursue Chandler as his team, Zhejiang Guangsha, is set to make the playoffs which means Chandler will not be able to come back to the states until Guangsha is eliminated from the playoffs. Sources have also said that the Raptors are set to move Jose Calderon and Leandro Barbosa to acquire a traded player exception and, “smaller assets to swap with Denver in a sign and trade.” The Nuggets, having just signed Danilo Gallinari, may not be willing to match a big offer to Chandler which would greatly increase the Raptors chances of acquiring him.
Re: Toronto Offering Wilson Chandler Big Contract?
Ahhh mediocrity, the eternal goal of the Raptors franchise.
Chandler is basically an average player in the NBA. Solid but nothing too good and definitely not worth committing any serious money/length to when you are as devoid of talent as the Raptors are.
Re: Toronto Offering Wilson Chandler Big Contract?
Doubtful of the source but it would strange to see another long term commitment made to another SF. Johnson's developed into at the very least a very useful defensive player of the bench who's still fairly young. Toronto's already locked into Kleiza. Finally, MKG/Barnes could very well be a Raptor next season. Chandler would be redundant IMO, if this is what a significant part of the Raps financial flexibility is going towards, I'd be very disappointed.
Re: Toronto Offering Wilson Chandler Big Contract?
decent i suppose, we wont get a superstar sf in trade or FA, hes a solid player, along with derozan, bargs, big Val next year. if we can get a decent young PG leader in the draft or FA then we could have a chance. could have a strong deep team next year
agree with the dude above, we need to see the numbers 1st though
Re: Toronto Offering Wilson Chandler Big Contract?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Qwyjibo
Ahhh mediocrity, the eternal goal of the Raptors franchise.
Chandler is basically an average player in the NBA. Solid but nothing too good and definitely not worth committing any serious money/length to when you are as devoid of talent as the Raptors are.
Why... why why why?
Exactly what I was going to say. This makes absolutely NO sense. Wait, actually it does given how BC has run this franchise.
Like someone else mentioned above, James Johnson and Linas Kleiza(who was a stupid signing to begin with) are already on the team, plus some nice possible prospects for the draft play SF. Chandler is the type of role player you go after when your team is trying to contend. Not when you're trying to build. Terrible idea.
Re: Toronto Offering Wilson Chandler Big Contract?
I don't want us spending too much money on the guy, but at some point you have to take what you can get. Players do not want to come here, partially because it's Canada, partially, because we currently suck, and partially because the American sports media pretends the Raptors don't exist.
Chandler might not be Kevin Durant, but he's a very good young player who can get shit done. I would like to have him.
We can't just tank into perpetuity, and teams like the Sixers and Portland are showing you don't need superstars to be good. I don't want to be a contender right now, not that there is any feasable way we could get there anyway. I just want to be decent again. Semi-respectable. Contending for a playoff spot for a few years. If that's mediocrity, then mediocre me up, because endlessly tanking/sucking on balls rarely seems to get anyone anywhere unless you really luck out in the draft.
Re: Toronto Offering Wilson Chandler Big Contract?
F*ck Kirilenko.
I could live with Wilson Chandler I guess. I seriously doubt we ever seriously compete with him but I could see something like what Memphis had going on if we could grab a couple role players for the bench and some talent at the pg spot. Thats best case, worst case we are pretty much where we are.
But I don't really give a shit anymore. This team top to bottom is full of holes, if we honestly ever contend I doubt that we have anything more than 1 or 2 of our current core players here playing any type of a major role.
Re: Toronto Offering Wilson Chandler Big Contract?
Wilson Chandler's list of possible destinations now extends beyond his former team in Denver, his agent, Chris Luchey, told SI.com.
Chandler, the five-year veteran and restricted free agent small forward who played in China during the lockout, visited Toronto on Tuesday and is considering joining the Raptors.
Toronto Offering Wilson Chandler Big Contract?
