The Toronto Raptors are "closing in" on a new contract with restricted free agent Greivis Vasquez, reports Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. Terms of the proposed deal haven't been disclosed, but it would continue a busy Fourth of July for Toronto after agreeing to a three-year deal with Patrick Patterson earlier in the day.
Raptors reportedly nearing deal with Greivis Vasquez
A busy holiday continues for the Raptors, who are reportedly closing in on a new deal with free agent point guard Greivis Vasquez.
Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sport
Vasquez, 27, appeared in 61 games for the Raptors last season after being acquired in early December as part of the Rudy Gay deal. A starter for the majority of the prior two years, he had to adjust to being Kyle Lowry's backup but ended up giving the Raptors a nice change of pace off the bench.
Last season, Vasquez averaged 9.5 points and 3.7 assists with Toronto. He also flashed an improved long-range jumper by shooting 39 percent on three-pointers, showing progress in one of the key areas that held him back earlier in his career.
During the 2012-13 season, Vasquez was the starting point guard for the New Orleans Hornets and ended up leading the league in total assists with 704. He parlayed that into a starting gig with the Sacramento Kings last year, but ended up as the backup in Toronto less than two months later.
Now it appears that Vasquez is ready to settle in as a backup after the Raptors agreed to a four-year deal with Lowry earlier this week. That’s hard to believe given the numbers he put up less than two years ago, but as a defensively challenged point guard who just recently started making progress as a scorer, you can see why teams didn’t line up with offer sheets.
And it’s worth remembering that the Raptors could have matched any offer extended to Vasquez, so the ball was always in their court. Given previous deals handed out this offseason, including the $18 million for Patterson, don’t be surprised if Vasquez gets some pretty decent money.
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