There's a new Raptor in town

The Raptors have dipped a foot in to the NBA free agent waters but it’s not a move that should cause too many ripples.

As we mentioned here the other day, the chance to get Linas Kleiza in the fold a year after an earlier dalliance was too much to resist and the Raptors have signed the restricted free agent to an offer sheet.

Seeing how my very good spies tell me Kleiza was actually spotted in Toronto last night, I’m sure he’ll stop by the Raptors office and sign the offer sheet today.

And since someone mentioned Kleiza’s name to me the other day around the Air Canada Centre (after I’d left him off an earlier list of possibilities) this makes entire sense.

The Denver Nuggets have seven days to match the contract – which is four years and $20 million. No indication what they might do but they’re fighting tax issues, let him go once and it would be no surprise if they didn’t let him walk.

Who is he? A 6-8 small forward who played for Olympiakos in Greece last year after averaging 9.9 points a game with the Nuggets in 2008-09.

He’s a role player, does nothing spectacularly well but does add some depth to a spot where the Raptors need it.

The money seems about right, it takes almost all of Toronto’s mid-level exception out of play. The rest of the mid-level exception will go to Solomon Alabi, the second-round draft pick who’s going to get a bump from the minimum salary and a deal that’s multi-year but not fully guaranteed, I’m hearing.

The Raptors kicked the tires on Kleiza at this time last year but had so much other stuff going on, they let the interest wane.

Comments

[dee from sauga]

I thought he was good in his role with the Nuggets but I don't understand the reason for signing him. Seems a bit expensive. Don't remember him being a true lock down defender but he could get to the rim ok. I'm sure Colangelo knows what he's doing, he has a better basketball mind then anyone writing to you will even have. Can you break down our depth chart now with this possible signing?

Blogger's note: Someday soon, but I bet there's more to come so I'm going to wait a bit

[Dan W]

If the Nuggets don't match that will be good. I really hope the Raptors change there mind in beasly if he is available. He is stil better than any player the Raptors got in the Carter trade, would instantly be the second best maybe even best player talent wise on the team. Babcock was considered a joke of gm for what he got for Carter. If BC gets nothing for Bosh I don't see him being very well like by most fans.

[daveP]

Sweet.
What we get is a hard nosed defensive minded big bodied SF. A European Ron Artest?!

[Chris]

Uh-oh. Let the Euro-hating begin. Can't wait to hear from all the Don Cherry wannabes.
Doug, do you think this means bye-bye Hedo?

Blogger's note: No, not necessarily at all.

[John MacDonald]

So many people hating the Turk contract and then i see this report that a team is going to sign Mike Miller to a 5 year $50 million contract. Man that really puts things into perspective. So any indication yet on if the Raptors are going to sign and trade Bosh to Miami?

[stoop]

Amazing news. Doug, we'll he be the saviour of this franchise?

[rugman]

Doug, do you reckon that the Raps should be signing role players @ this point over 4 year deals for $5,000,000 per??? This is the time to clear the decks, not sign role players to long term deals. I'm a season ticket holder and would much rather watch a team playing for ping pong balls next year then watch 4 years of going nowhere.

[R.J.]

Not to sure what to make of this signing. TSN has is weaknesses listed as follows:

"Isn't much of a passer. Can sometimes get too fixated on the three, which hurts his effectiveness with the shot; hanging on the perimeter too much also affects his rebounding."

Sounds familiar doesn't it?

[Shawn F]

Doug, let's play conspiracy theorists, you think the NBA was influenced at all in the raising of the salary cap in order to give the Heat a better shot at landing James. Would be great for the league in their eyes with all the hype this 'dream team' will get, year after year.

Blogger's note: I think there'd be 29 teams who'd be watching pretty closely. And they still don't all fit with max deals if Beasley's still with the Heat. Good conspiracy theory, though.

[Matty-Pix]

"I bet there's more to come so I'm going to wait a bit"

... killing us ... loving it ... :)

[Frank Sobotka]

"...it would be no surprise if they didn't let him walk." So this means it will be surprising if they let him walk?

[James Russell]

I thought the Raptors were $5 million or so under the salary cap. How do they have an MLE to spend?

[isk73]

This Euro hatred is getting a bit crazy now. Although Kleiza is from Lithuania, he went to a high school and college in the U.S and played with the Nuggets until last year when cap issues did not allow Denver to pick up his option.

[Andrew]

Here's to hoping he's Jorge Garbajosa 2.0, heck, v1.1 would be great!

[Michael]

" no surprise if they didn’t let him walk." Double negative. I think you meant to say "no surprise if they let him walk".

I like Kleiza. Still only 25 and his stats show that he out-performed Josh Childress overseas. I think he is the kind of hard-nosed player that Raptors fans will love.

[pain777pas]

Savior of the franchise? He led in Euroleague scoring last year. Nice! Having George Karl coach and Triano are 2 different things. I think he should be productive but this is yet again another experiment by Colangelo. Another European visage that Colangelo thinks Canadians not Torontonians will get behind. What he fails to realize is we like winning and he better stay focussed on winning in Toronto not merchandise and image. BCs moves from letting Sam go till now have been so questionnable. I'm almost at the let Colangelo go tipping point. This is getting ridiculous.

[Paul]

Doug, what's Andrea been doing through all this? Working on his English, his rebounding and his post game I hope...

[Tree]

The last part of this post stuck out to me ... why are the Raps giving Alabi more than the minimum? The guy was a second round pick with no leverage, why give him more than others in his slot have recieved? Is the heat affecting Colangelo?

[Calvin]

Why not Travis Outlaw or Josh Childress? They can at least play a little D which is not what I can really say about Linzas.

[kazbid]

really liked ur breakdown of the bosh/TO situation Doug. well stated.

can't fault bosh for helping out his new team by putting the negotiating power in their hands (i.e. miami has bosh commited so its their call now whether they want to accomodate a S&T or just sign him straight up) but it's disappointing that he led the Raps to believe he'd leave that power to trade him in their hands

does our current lineup for next year look like:
Calderon/Jack
hedon't/kleiza
derozan/weems
ed davis/evans
bargnani/amir

or am i forgetting someone who should be in this rotation or are any of these guys gone as FA's this summer?

[ChrisK]

Doug - a Q on the Free Agency Nonsense (FAN?) - If Lebron does end up going to the heat and the big 3 decide to take paycuts in order to allow the Heat to sign a few other players, won't the player's association blow a gasket? That would seem to set a bad precedent in terms of what salaries All-Star NBA'ers are worth.

[Angelo]

It would be a good signing, although not the quickest of players he has added some defencive toughness playing in Europe and he'll spread the floor for Demar, Weems, Amir, possibly Bargnani if he transitions to more of an inside game with Bosh out. His signing necessitates that Caleron remain a raptor in my mind as he'll be more effective with an assists-adept point guard.

[BB]

I've heard Lebron wants to be the first billionaire in sports and has huge aspirations to be a mega star. I think by going to Miami and playing with 2 other great stars it diminishes his chance to be in the spotlight and be "the man" because he has to share it and we also know Bosh likes the spotlight. Also any chance of hm being compared to all time great players like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant and racking up enough statistics to even be in their group will be diminished if he goes to Miami.

It would be interesting if Lebron went to New York and teamed up Amare and then it could be Wade/Bosh vs Lebron/Amare with fillers in both and more excitement in the east.

[Trevor Stafford]

Mmmmm, I love the taste of mediocrity in the morning.

Tastes like 20 million dollars.

[Duncan Smith]

The guy did put up 41 points in a game for Denver so it's not like he's a place filler. The guy can shoot the three but he played college ball in the U.S. and goes to the high traffic areas, dunks a lot. So he might not be the kind of Euro people will expect him to be.

I wonder if this has any indication that Turkoglu might be gone. This team will have a good core of guys 25 and under.