Bismack Biyombo wants to stay in Toronto, even at a discount
By David Rouben
Bismack Biyombo recently stated he would take on a hometown discount if it meant staying with the Toronto Raptors.
One of the biggest question marks the Toronto Raptors will face in the offseason is what to do with Bismack Biyombo, who started out as a fringe candidate to make the team before becoming a real fan favorite during the playoffs.
His one-year deal has expired, and he could very well leave to join another team that was impressed with what they saw during the playoffs, and would be willing to offer him more money. But as for what the big man desires, he would prefer to stay north of the border.
When asked if he would take a hometown discount to stay, he told Sportsnet 590 (h/t TheScore) “Yeah, it can always be worked out. When the right moment comes I’d be open to figuring out something.”
Biyombo averaged 6.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in the Eastern Conference Finals, and had some highlight reel blocks over guys like Kevin Love and LeBron James. He knows that the team isn’t far off from competing for a title, and even stated that “we have some unfinished business.”
However, the Raptors also know that re-signing DeMar DeRozan is their number one priority. If he commands a max deal, it would be hard to fit Biyombo in under the cap, even with a hometown discount.
In terms of what type of money he should command on the open market, an anonymous Eastern Conference GM likened it to the current deal that Tyson Chandler has, which is a four-year deal worth $52 million.
Given that Jonas Valanciunas is the Raptors’ starting center – Biyombo only got starts when he went down – it’s highly unlikely they’ll give Biyombo that much money to come off the bench. Unless they slot Valanciunas at the four, but that’s also not likely to happen.
Few people can get the crowd going like Biyombo did in Toronto, so fans will prefer to see him back. But even if he ends up walking, it’s hard to imagine he won’t have a lot to offer whichever team ends up signing him.
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