Toronto Raptors 2016-17 player grades: The bench
By Nate Wolf
Patrick Patterson
Patterson might want to forget this playoff run. The veteran forward shot just 30.8 percent from three and an abysmal 27.8 percent overall during the playoffs. The Raptors were outscored by 16.1 points per 100 possessions with Patterson on the floor.
The shooting woes were so bad that Patterson saw a significant dip in minutes. Yes, the Raptors added Serge Ibaka. But in the playoffs, the best man plays. And in these playoffs, that man was not Patrick Patterson.
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All that said, Patterson still deserves a B for his continued glue-guy excellence during the regular season.
The Raptors were 10.5 points better per 100 possessions with Patterson on the floor, showing his 10.3 number from last season was no fluke. He’s not a shot-blocker, he’s not an explosive scorer, and he’s not a great playmaker. But Patterson’s just one of those dudes who helps his team win.
He shot 37.1 percent from three on a decent volume of attempts. Opponents shot just 45.8 percent against him at the rim, the best number of any rotation player. To let Matt Moore of CBS Sports take over, “He’ll never be a super-assertive asset and can’t cover for others’ defensive lapses, but he’s also never going to be the reason you lose.”
Patterson is a free agent this summer, and his future hinges on what Lowry and Ibaka do. If Lowry leaves, expect a rebuild sans Patterson. If Ibaka comes back, Patterson may be a luxury tax casualty. Say Lowry stays and Ibaka goes – at that point, Patterson may stick around.
Regardless, he’s earned his next paycheck. Marvin Williams, a similar albeit better player, just got a contract worth $13.6 million annually under a $94 million salary cap. Expect Patterson to earn a few million less as the cap continues to balloon.