Toronto Raptors: 3 Ways DeMarre Carroll Changes Things
By Greg Chin
Before free agency started, it was unsure how the Toronto Raptors would approach free agency. General manager Masai Ujiri had held off making trades during the midseason trade window, seemingly because he didn’t think the team was good enough to win it all during the postseason.
His analysis was proven right, as the team crashed and burned out of the first round, losing in a sweep to the Washington Wizards.
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The Raptors were in a unique position – with just $40 million in guaranteed contracts for the 2014/15 season, they could either blow the team up or make an attempt at a marquee free agent. All signs pointed to the former, as the Raptors’ success so far was accidental – a result of trading away Rudy Gay and the poor play of the Eastern Conference as a whole.
However, Ujiri surprised everyone and made a play for former Atlanta Hawk DeMarre Carroll. He signed Carroll to a four year, $60 million contract. It was a hefty price to pay for a player who has really only had two productive seasons (with last season being his best).
There are still some concerns that Carroll might not fit the midrange and isolation-heavy Raptors’ offense, but many Raptors’ fans are excited at the prospect of having a defender of his calibre on the team.
With so much money invested in one player, let’s take a look at how he will impact the Raptors for the foreseeable future.
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