Toronto Raptors: Why Brandon Jennings Needs To Sign In Toronto
After his release from the New York Knicks, Brandon Jennings seems like the perfect fit for the Toronto Raptors
The New York Knicks have waived point guard Brandon Jennings after he requested his release. After just signing him this past offseason, the two parties have gone their separate parties after a quick audition.
Jennings has played for three teams, the Pistons, Magic and Knicks, in the past year and will now be searching for a new home. Early indications in NBA circles suggest that Jennings will be heading to either Washington or Charlotte, with the former seeming to be in the lead.
However, there’s a much better suitor for the 27-year-old point guard: the Toronto Raptors.
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Kyle Lowry just went down with a wrist injury and a mixed slew of reports suggest he’ll either return for the last few games of the regular season or for the postseason.
That leaves Cory Joseph, Delon Wright and Fred VanVleet as the healthy point guards on the roster.
Why Toronto?
Jennings is a better scorer than any of the latter three healthy guards in the Six. He’ll need some time to get used to Dwane Casey’s system but he could slot into the starting lineup sooner rather than later.
He also reportedly wants to suit up for a contender.
Brandon Jennings told NYK recently he wanted to play for a playoff team, source said. NYK released the vet PG, plan to sign another. Woj 1st
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 27, 2017
Yes, the Wizards are also a contender but they have John Wall who plays 36.7 minutes per game. The Raptors present a unique opportunity for the former Knick. He’d likely end up playing more often than he had since he was a starter in Detroit a few years ago. Even when Lowry returns later this year, Jennings would be a valuable scoring punch off the bench.
He also is playing on a one year deal. If he is unhappy with his role by the end of the season, he can walk away and play elsewhere next campaign.
Bottom Line
Jennings has been plagued with injuries and inconsistency ever since he tore his achilles as a member of the Pistons. What he needs is an opportunity to prove his worth to teams around the NBA. At age 27, he has plenty of time left in the league, but only if he proves himself valuable.
Without Lowry in the lineup, Jennings will get more playing time in Toronto than he would anywhere else around the league. They’re also undoubtedly a contender in the Eastern Conference.
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However sensible this arrangement may be, Washington is expected to land the veteran point guard at the moment. He’s only been on the market for a few hours and would be wise to test the market for a few days before latching on somewhere.