Toronto Raptors: 5 Takeaways From Their Playoff Run

3. Bismack Biyombo made himself a lot of money

After being released by the Charlotte Hornets last summer, there was a sense that Bismack Biyombo may be on his way out of the league. But he elevated his play this season, especially when Jonas Valanciunas missed time and that trend continued in the playoffs.

Biyombo started 10 games in the playoffs in relief of Valanciunas and averaged 6.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in the postseason.

Even though his game seemed to not travel with the team on the road, he was instrumental to the Raptors’ Game 7 win against the Miami Heat as well as upsetting the Cavaliers in Games 3 and 4.

Given the weak free agency crop and how rare young productive centers are, Biyombo seems in line for a big time payday. Sean Deveney of Sporting News reported on how Biyombo is currently valued by GMs:

"And another Eastern Conference executive said Biyombo’s price tag could wind up being even a bit higher. “With the way free agency could wind up going, three years and $60 (million) would be my guess,” he said. Biyombo is only 23 years old, but even that might be a gamble. When he entered the draft in 2011, he said he was born in 1992. Privately, team executives expressed doubt about that, and there was a rumor that Biyombo was, in fact, 22. Even if that rumor were true, Biyombo would be only 27 now and worthy of a three- or four-year commitment. But one GM did reiterate that the question of Biyombo’s age was not entirely resolved."

While the age aspect is a strange wrinkle, it still seems like Biyombo will receive a contract around $17 million, which would make him the highest paid player on the Raptors (unless they re-sign DeRozan).

While the Raptors would love to have him back, he isn’t as good as Valanciunas and to pay so much money for a replaceable backup likely would be unwise.

Next: DeRozan and Lowry proved they can win