Toronto Raptors 2016-17 player grades: The bench
By Nate Wolf
Cory Joseph
The 2016-17 season was Cory Joseph in a nutshell. He played 25 minutes per game, averaging 9.3 points and 3.3 assists – no different than last year. But when Kyle Lowry went down with a wrist injury in February, the Raptors could’ve cratered. Instead, Joseph stepped into a starting role and kept the Raptors chugging along.
Overall, the Raptors went 14-7 with Joseph at the helm. He may not be starter material, but Joseph is one of the elite backup point guards in the NBA. He can run a team’s second unit, step in when injuries strike or play alongside another point guard in crunch time.
Joseph won an NBA championship with San Antonio in 2014, and he brings that typical Spursian steadiness. This past season, he turned the ball over just times 1.9 times per 36 minutes and was trusted to defend many different types of guards. When called upon, he has the speed and pull-up shooting ability to make plays outside of the system.
Joseph still isn’t a gunner. He only attempted 1.7 threes per game. But he made a career high 35.6 percent of his attempts, and even went 9-for-22 during the playoffs. With a jumper, Joseph would be closer to George Hill. But Toronto didn’t need him to be that good; they just needed him to be reliable. He pulled through and then some.
Assuming Toronto retains Lowry and one or two other free agents, the luxury tax will be a concern next season. Joseph is just 25, and he makes only $7 million annually, which is below his market value. He’s a Toronto-native and a high-character guy, but he’s an obvious salary-dump candidate. If he’s moved, his new team will be getting a keeper.
Next: 5 potential landing spots for Kyle Lowry in free agency