[Star]Free agents won't be flocking to Toronto
Free agents won't be flocking to Toronto
Raptors have full roster and little money to spend
Club's free agents Marshall, Palacio will walk today
DOUG SMITH
SPORTS REPORTER
Rob Babcock hopes to get somehow involved in the NBA free agent season, which
opens today, but he is severely limited in what he might be able to do.
With little money to spend and a roster that's full right now, the Raptor
general manager will have to be creative if he's going to get anything done.
"We're still talking trades with several teams and there are some things we
could do," Babcock said in a telephone interview yesterday.
But a fair chunk of the money the Raptors have to spend is already spoken
for, limiting the kind of free agent Babcock could pursue.
Because Toronto is expected to be well over the salary cap, the team has only
the so-called ``mid-level'' cap exception — expected to be about
$5.5 million (all figures U.S.) — to spend.
And with that money, they'll have to take care of restricted free agents
Matt Bonner and Pape Sow, which should eat up at least half that amount.
"That's a priority," Babcock said of re-signing Bonner, who was an adequate
member of the team's regular rotation in his rookie season.
While Babcock tries to figure out how to get something for virtually nothing,
the free agent negotiating period will mark the departure of two key members
of last year's rotation.
Donyell Marshall, the team's most effective three-point shooter, and Milt
Palacio, the backup to starting point guard Rafer Alston, are both
unrestricted free agents and neither is expected back.
Marshall, highly sought by teams at last February's trade delaine,
is expected to attract interest from New Jersey, Miami, Houston and
Philadelphia. Palacio, less highly regarded, is still a serviceable backup
who won't command a high salary.
Babcock couldn't comment on the possibility of a sign-and-trade deal for
Marshall, under which the Raptors would sign him to a new contract and
simultaneously ship him to a new team.
However, because of the sheer size of Toronto's roster, that might be
difficult.
Even given that second-round draft pick Uros Slokar will be back playing in
Europe next season, Toronto will have 15 players under contract if they sign
the other three picks from this year's draft and re-sign both Bonner and Sow.
The possibility exists, of course, for Babcock and the Raptors to simply buy
out the final $5 million year of Lamond Murray's contract to free up a
roster spot.
It's inconceivable now that Murray would have anything remotely close to a
key role on the team next season and cutting him adrift may seem like
throwing money away but it's considered better in some team circles than
having a morose veteran stuck on the end of the bench for another year.
In trade talks, Babcock is probably trying to peddle two players who became
even more redundant after Tuesday night's draft.
Aaron Williams and Eric Williams, who play the same positions as first round
draft picks Charlie Villanueva and Joey Graham, respectively, could
undoubtedly be had for very little if Babcock is serious about creating some
roster space through trades.
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