So just when it looked like the Toronto Raptors had wrapped up all of their business in free agency, they go and sign Greg Stiemsma to a one-year deal.
With the addition of the 6’11” center, the Raptors now head into training camp with 17 players, two above the limit once the regular season begins.
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Ever since the curtain closed on the 2013-14 season, the attention in Raptorland has been focused on the priorities that would need to be addressed in the summer.
Aside from the obvious desire to bring back Kyle Lowry, Greivis Vasquez, and Patrick Patterson, it was more generally prescribed that the Raptors required a defensive-minded wing player and a rim protector to help round out the roster.
If all goes well, the addition of James Johnson, a 6’9″ forward, gives the team that player capable of defending the perimeter and probably in the post as well because he weighs 245 pounds.
As for a frontcourt player capable of blocking or altering shots and grabbing rebounds, preferably a center, only Lucas Nogueira had been added until this point. However, the 7’0″, 225-pound center, who was acquired along with Lou Williams from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for John Salmoms, is just 22 years old and does not have any previous NBA experience.
Keeping options open
In that respect, it makes sense that the Raptors would be interested in Stiemsma as he has appeared in 186 games since making his debut for the Boston Celtics on Dec. 28, 2011.
Whether the Raptors intend to include Stiemsma on the 15-man roster and what exactly this means for other players on the bubble will play out over the next six or seven weeks.
Nonetheless, it certainly has to change the outlook for point guard Will Cherry and forward Jordan Hamilton, who were both signed to partially-guaranteed deals in August.
Now all of a sudden, there is a lot more competition for that last available spot on the team.
With Stiemsma in the mix, Cherry and Hamilton are no longer just going up against each other. Nogueira, who seemed a lock to make the team just a short while ago, will have to prove that he is ready for the rigors of the NBA. Even Landry Fields, who has reached a crossroads in his career, could find himself on the outside looking in after the dust settles.
But as I’ve said on a few occasions, their is absolutely nothing wrong with a little internal competition during training camp, especially considering the goals and expectations for the Raptors in 2014-15.
Stiemsma fills a void
If I had to guess, I’d say that Stiemsma will be here with the Raptors when they open their season against the Hawks on Oct. 29.
The 28-year-old, who is the same age as Lowry and Tyler Hansbrough, and only younger than Chuck Hayes (31), won’t necessarily bring much in the way of offense, yet it is worth noting that he is a career 50.5 percent shooter from the field and last season took 61.5 percent of his shots from within three feet of the basket.
For his career, Stiemsma has averaged 3.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 16 minutes of action. Last season with New Orleans, his scoring dipped to 2.9 points per game, but he established career-highs in rebounds (4.1) and minutes played (18.3).
Known more for defense, including his knack for blocking shots, Stiemsma could see an increase in his offensive production if he is willing to crash the boards. I say this because the Raptors LOVE to shoot 3-pointers, as evidenced by last season when they ranked 11th in the league by hoisting up 1917 attempts from downtown.
If Stiemsma can sneak into the lane for second chances and easy put-backs, on top of what he can do defensively, then he will be of significant value to the Raptors.
At the beginning of the 2013-14 campaign, the Raptors had Aaron Gray to play the role of dependable backup center, but they were left without anything equivalent to that after Gray was sent to the Sacramento Kings as part of the Rudy Gay trade.
Hansbrough and Hayes filled in admirably after the trade, but neither player really fits the mold of a traditional center.
For Stiemsma to separate himself from this group and show the he deserves the bulk of the minutes behind Jonas Valanciunas, he will have to make himself indispensable as a post defender against the likes of Roy Hibbert, Brook Lopez, and Marcin Gortat.
Signing shows commitment to winning
None of this is to say that this makes the Raptors clear favorites to finish above the Bulls, Cavs, Wizards, or whichever team has the best chance of finishing first in the Eastern Conference.
However, what the signing of Stiemsma does show is that the Raptors were serious about addressing all of their needs this summer.
They re-signed Lowry, Vasquez, and Patterson, brought in Johnson and Stiemsma to help out on the defensive side, and also managed to add some scoring punch with the trade for Williams.
Instead of looking for excuses, the Raptors took care of business and have given themselves plenty of reasons to be even better this season.