Toronto Raptors: 4 free agent forwards the team could target
By Nate Wolf
4. Luc Mbah a Moute
Smarts, shutdown defense and veteran work ethic. Those are the qualities Luc Mbah a Moute brings to the table. The versatile forward also had one of his best seasons last year, starting 76 games for the 51-win Clippers, getting an All-NBA Defensive team vote, and shooting 50.5 percent from the field.
Mbah a Moute can play 3 or 4, but he mostly guarded perimeter players with the Clippers. He took on Gordon Hayward in Los Angeles’ series with the Jazz, and would’ve defended Kevin Durant had the Clippers snuck past Utah. He works hard and has great size at 6’8” and 230 pounds.
As a small-ball power forward, Mbah a Moute would provide a unique defensive look for the Raptors. DeMarre Carroll could take the other team’s lesser forward, allowing Mbah a Moute to play a shutdown role, no matter the size of his opposing number.
Offensively, Mbah a Moute is a non-factor. He shot the ball well last season, canning 39.1 percent of this three-point attempts. That said, he only put up 1.4 threes per game. Maybe he can sustain that ability, but he’s never been much of a shooter.
As a result, the fit is less than ideal. Mbah a Moute simply couldn’t play 3 next to DeMar DeRozan without ridiculous shooting elsewhere on the court. As a 4, however, he could chill in the dunker’s spot, set screens, and hit the occasional corner three.
Mbah a Moute is an unspectacular player, but he’d replace the defense of Patrick Patterson or P.J. Tucker. A nine-year veteran at age 30, he knows how to play the game, and would be a solid addition at a fair price point.