In what is bound to be one of the more overlooked moves this offseason, Australia Boomer’s centre Aron Baynes signed a two-year pact with the Toronto Raptors worth $14.3 million (the second year has a team option).
NBA free agency frenzy started this week and already multiple stars have inked new deals for the 2020-21 season. Star forwards Gordon Hayward and Danilo Gallinari swapped jerseys for Indiana and Atlanta respectively, while Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell stayed put, signing max contract extensions.
Baynes fills an immediate need for Toronto at centre with the departure of Marc Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Baynes, a long-time role player averaging 15.8 career minutes per game, is coming off the best season of his eight-year NBA career, averaging a career-high 11.5 points and 5.6 rebounds while adding a much-improved three-point stroke to his game last season.
A lifetime 32.7% shooter from deep who took less than one shot beyond the perimeter per game coming into the 2019-20 season took his perimeter game to another level, averaging 4 three-point attempts per game at an improved 35.1% clip.
His 1.4 3-pointers and 35.1% shooting from deep last season were both career highs.
With Toronto losing big men Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka in free agency, Baynes fits into their starting lineup perfectly alongside Kyle Lowry, Fred Van Vleet, O.G. Anunoby and Pascal Siakam.
The next question for Baynes is how this shift to the Great White North will impact his ability to play for Australia in the Olympics.
The NBA playoffs are currently scheduled to end on July 22nd, and the Olympics set to begin the following day, so it will prove to be very tricky to get players from NBA playoff teams into Tokyo.
With Toronto making the playoffs for the past seven seasons in a row it is likely we don’t see Baynes in the green and gold for Tokyo.
A playoff appearance for the new-look Raptors could lead to Baynes not having enough time to quarantine before joining the Boomers, leaving a gaping hole in their frontcourt behind Andrew Bogut and Jock Landale.
Baynes, who turns 34 in December spent three seasons with the Spurs and two with the Pistons earlier in his career prior to his break out season with the Suns last season.