The Toronto Raptors may potentially lose both DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo this coming July when the two players' contracts expire and they become free agents available for every other to pick up. However, according to a report from Sports Rageous, it may be possible that the Raptors will try to keep both players.
According to the report, it may be impossible for the Raptors to re-sign both Biyombo and DeRozan given that each team in the NBA has a spending limit as well as a limited budget. However, both players are valuable to the team and the report reiterates that the Raptors may need to go through loops to secure both of them.
It is explained in a report from Raptors Republic that Biyombo opted not to renew his current contract with the Raptors as he believes he should be paid more than he is now. This may simply be a tactic to force the Raptors to give him a higher salary or to entice other teams interested in him to give him a better offer.
DeRozan has been noted as a crucial player in the success of the Raptors this past season and it is likely that the Raptors will pay out more to keep him. However, if the team maximizes their expenses to keep DeRozan this will limit their chances of keeping Biyombo as well.
According to Basketball Insider, the Raptors may need to trade one of their other players such as Jonas Valanciunas or Terrence Ross. This will give them the allotted budget to pay for both DeRozan and Biyombo. However, it is noted that trading away Valanciunas will also come with its own repurcussions given how much the player has contributed.
The report points out that Biyombo is elligible for a $21.6 million maximum salary and this may push the Raptors to their limits regarding how much they can spend. If the Raptors lose both Biyombo and DeRozan other teams will likely pick them up, particularly the L.A. Lakers who have just lost Kobe Bryant.
