What to do with Jeff Dowtin? Jeff Dowtin is one of my favorite players on the Toronto Raptors. He is not flashing and is not a big scorer (pretty good scorer in G league though). But he plays hard, tries to make the right play and is good on defense. He is currently on a two way contract in which he can play up to 50 games with the Toronto Raptors. Unfortunately, he has played his 50 games and is now ineligible to be used for the rest of the season and in the playoffs.
The only way he can play is that the Raptors convert his contract to a standard NBA contract. However, this means that you would have to waive a player on the current roster as there are no more open spots. This would likely mean you have to waive one of Joe Wieskamp, Dalano Banton, Malachi Flynn or Thaddeus Young. You would think it is an easy decision as none of those players are in the rotation so waiving one should be no big deal. However, it is more complicated that that.
What to Do With Jeff Dowtin? A Complicated Decision
The Toronto Raptors are a team that likes to keep all of its options open when it comes to future and direction. For example, the Raptors have had the reputation (not counting the last few seasons) of developing rawer players into servable NBA players. And players like Dalano Banton and Joe Wieskamp are a perfect example of this. Both have their flaws but both have potential to be very good NBA players. However, both are projects and will take time to develop but the Raptors have had success in particular during the Dwayne Casey years of developing low ranked and undrafted projects (see Fred Van Fleet, Norman Powell, and Pascal Siakam). It’s a way for winning teams to keep adding talent without having high draft picks. So cutting bait with one of these players is cutting bait on development which has been a hallmark of the Raptors.
You then have Thaddeus Young and Malachi Flynn who have favorable contracts which can be used in a trade with other assets in the summer if need be. For example, Thaddeus Young has eight million dollars left after this year but only one million is guaranteed. That is a very desirable contract if a team needs to save money to avoid the luxury tax. And Malachi Flynn will only have one year left at just under four million which make him a very desirable contract in a trade. If you waive one of these players, you will lose that potential benefit and get nothing in return.
Conclusion – What Should the Raptors Do?
Well the decision was made at the deadline when management decided to trade a first and second round pick for Jakob Poeltl. The team doubled down on this core and went into win now mode even though many thought that this core had ran its course. As a result, the team committed to a run at the playoffs/play in and it is kind of too late to change direction now. As a result, the team has to convert Jeff Dowtin’s contract because Jeff Dowtin is one of the best defenders off the bench. In the playoffs, the old saying is still true, “defense wins championships”. The games slow down in the playoffs and you are going to need defense more than ever. Jeff Dowtin brings that. Also, turnovers can sink a team and Jeff Dowtin doesn’t turn the ball very much which is so important to have in your back up guard. Unfortunately for the Raptors development is over and now they have go all in. This means they have to convert Jeff Dowtin’s contract today. We will see shortly.
You Might Like:
This page has affiliate ads in which we might make a small commission at no extra cost to you!