Toronto Raptors: 3 players not likely to return in 2020-21

The future of the 2019-20 NBA season remains unclear, but the Toronto Raptors may have some tough choices to make when it’s over.

The Toronto Raptors have been aiming to defend their first NBA title all season long. That defense date is a moving target, with the NBA season suspended due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

If the season fails to resume – still a big if, but entirely unknown at this point – the Raptors will instead get the opportunity to defend their title during the 2020-21 season. They may have a much different cast of characters in that scenario.

As it stands, the Raptors have nine players signed for the 2020-21 season. Four are projected to become unrestricted free agents at the end of this year: Fred VanVleet, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol. Malcolm Miller and Chris Boucher will be restricted free agents, while Nando de Colo’s stretched out contract will come off the books.

Then, there’s Stanley Johnson. Many Raptors fans may not want the forward to return next season. As one of the few free-agent signees from the last offseason, Johnson was faced with at least some modicum of expectations. But he has met none of them, averaging just 1.2 points and 1.1 rebounds per game off the bench in 20 contests.

Johnson has a player option for next season, which he will almost certainly exercise after this season’s struggles. According to Spotrac, he’ll even see a slight salary bump, to just over $3.8 million.

Who won’t return for Toronto next season? Here are three players you shouldn’t expect to see in a Raptors uniform in 2020-21.