The Canadian pipeline keeps flowing strong
Northern exposure was rare in the NBA; now, we supply superstars on the regular
Canada continues to supply a large chunk of NBA talent and the trend will not be ending any time soon.
For the fourth straight year, Canada trails only the United States in the production of NBA players. There are 108 international players in 2017-18 from a record 42 different countries, and 12 of the players hail from the Great White North.
Former rookie of the year Andrew Wiggins of Thornhill, Ont., heads the list. All eyes will be on Wiggins after he signed a max deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves (five years, US$148 million) that was the second-largest ever in pro sports signed by a Canadian, after Joey Votto’s gargantuan pact with the Cincinnati Reds (Wiggins will earn more per season). Can he expand his game beyond just his gaudy scoring totals?
Jamal Murray of Kitchener, Ont., is expected to become one of the Denver Nuggets’ primary scorers as that team aims to make the playoffs. Tristan Thompson of Brampton, Ont., has taken one for the team and become a backup with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cory Joseph of Pickering, Ont., will battle with Darren Collison for the lead guard role with the Indiana Pacers. Toronto-born, B.C.raised Kelly Olynyk has moved from Boston to Miami, where he should fit in nicely. Brampton’s Tyler Ennis is now a rotation player with the Lakers at point guard. Toronto’s Dwight Powell could be the first big man off of the bench for the Dallas Mavericks. Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ont., will fight to stay in the mix on a far better Philadelphia 76ers team, and Saskatoon’s Trey Lyles will do the same with the Nuggets. Meanwhile, rookies Dillon Brooks (Mississauga), Khem Birch and Chris Boucher (both from Montreal) will get their first taste of life as professionals. Brooks has the best shot at seeing playing time, and Birch matured while starring overseas and is eager to show well in Orlando. Boucher should spend his season developing for Golden State’s minor league affiliate.
More players are in the pipeline.
Mississauga’s R.J. Barrett is considered the presumptive top pick in the 2019 draft and two of his countrymen could also crack the lottery that year. This summer, Toronto’s Justin Jackson could be a lottery selection and other Canadians also could get drafted.
There’s never been a better time to be a hoops player or fan in this country.
ALL QUIET
With so much money spent in the summer of 2016, most teams are on strict budgets. That’s part of the reason so few young players from the 2014 draft received lucrative extensions. Wiggins and his former Kansas teammate Joel Embiid got massive new deals, but otherwise only Gary Harris (Denver) and T.J. Warren (Phoenix) were extended before Monday night’s deadline. Intriguing youngsters such as Aaron Gordon and Marcus Smart didn’t agree with their teams on the finances of extensions, while others like Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood and Zach LaVine probably will have to wait because of a mixture of injury concerns and monetary demands.
The Raptors declined to extend Brazilians Lucas Nogueira or Bruno Caboclo. The team will face luxury tax concerns in the 2018-19 season and is simply not in a position to pay up right now, even if either player had proven worthy of a big raise.
Several 2015 second-rounders, including Toronto’s Norman Powell, were extended (secondrounders are eligible for the treatment a year earlier than first-rounders, albeit for far less money).
SPURS INTRIGUE
From Day 1, LaMarcus Aldridge has been a tough fit for the San Antonio Spurs. He struggled through much of the playoffs and seems a bit like a round peg trying to jam itself into a square hole. So it was a bit strange to see Aldridge and the Spurs agree to a three-year, US$72.3-million extension this week. Upon further inspection, though, it’s a fair compromise for both sides. This summer, Aldridge could have opted out of the US$22.3 million left on the final year of his deal in search of a new pact elsewhere, but he probably would not have found a taker willing to pay him in the US$20-million-plus range. Now, Aldridge gets his cash for two years and if he finds a groove, he can stay on for a third year. If not, the Spurs can pay him US$7 million to go away in the third year or perhaps trade him.