Why the Raptors haven't signed draft pick Christian Koloko yet
When the Toronto Raptors drafted Christian Koloko in June, fans were quick to wonder how the 7’1″ forward would bring a new element to a team largely lacking true size.
The team had forged their identity this past season by lining up as many as five players on the court between about 6’7″ to 6’9″, but that was about as tall as they got.
Koloko’s height is the most striking thing that makes him stand out as the tallest player on the Raptors, as he faces the question any other incoming rookie does: how will they adjust to the NBA game?
But the biggest question surrounding him right now remains the one around his contract — or lack thereof.
As of today, Koloko remains unsigned by the Raptors, with no clear indications as to when the contract is coming. It could be ten minutes after this article drops, or it could be October 18, one night before the season begins.
But the fact he hasn’t signed yet does at the very least, well, give us something to talk about in late August. Let’s break it down.
The Kevin Durant factor
In case you haven’t been reading any NBA headlines over the past few months, Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant requested a trade in June that shook the NBA landscape. Until it didn’t.
The Nets released a statement today that effectively pulled them out of any Durant trade discussions, either due to the fact they’ve actually come to a resolution, or more likely, that they couldn’t quite find an offer that made sense for the teams involved.
The Raptors were among the frontrunners for Durant since the rumours dropped, but of course, no trade materialized, likely at least partially due to the fact they weren’t willing to part with reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes.
So while they’d never publicly announce it was a reason, it’s not hard to imagine they were waiting to see how their roster could potentially look with Durant, as well as keep their options open for which pieces they’d be parting with.
Luxury tax/salary cap implications
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps posited on a recent edition of The Hoop Collective that another reason the Raptors are waiting has to do with the differing contract types and lengths the team is allowed to sign him to.
Picks 31, 32, and 34 in the draft (Koloko was taken 33rd) have all signed three-year deals worth upwards of $8.2 million, but that could be a challenge for Toronto.
“If they sign Christian Koloko to a three-year deal … you have to use an exception or cap space,” Bontemps said. “So if they sign him even to just the standard second-round pick number but sign him for three years, they are going to go over the taxpayer MLE, therefore, they’re going to trigger the hard cap.”
Toronto could sign him for the Minimum if they open a roster spot, but that’s only a max of 2yrs / $2.7M and based on the market, Klutch will likely push for a longer deal that’s more lucrative than just the minimum. The only way they can do that though is dipping into the MLE.
— Anil Gogna (@AnilGognaNBA) July 28, 2022
In other words, Toronto would have to not only account for Koloko’s salary but also dip into either the bi-annual exception or the mid-level exception, both of which would limit their roster construction moving forward, barring another roster move to add room to the team’s salary cap.
If you’re wondering what a Koloko deal will eventually look like, IF Raps have some MLE left (without hard-capping) I’d guess it’s at least 3 years. A lot of high 2nds have had 2 full years guaranteed, too. pic.twitter.com/dxF07KHNli
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) July 29, 2022
The visa puzzle for Koloko and the Raptors
The last complicating factor for Koloko is his birth country of Cameroon, and the restrictions related to his student visa related to playing at the University of Arizona.
After the draft, most draft picks head to the city they’ve been selected by within a day or two for a tour and a meet-and-greet with team staff. But that wasn’t the case for Koloko, who wasn’t able to enter Canada just yet if he wanted to return to the U.S.
“As soon as he signs this contract, we’ll get his work permit,” Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said back in June the night he was drafted. “I think when you have a student visa when you leave the country, you can’t go back into the US. The same thing happened when we drafted Pascal (Siakam) and Jakob (Poeltl), we had to do a workout in Buffalo. But as soon as they signed their contract, [they were able to come to Toronto]. Which I think July 1 he’ll be able to… I’m not sure when it’ll actually be [when he signs].”
Of course, July 1 came and went, with no contract for Koloko. He then played in Summer League, where he averaged 7.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 2.2 blocks, and 1.0 assists in 22.1 minutes throughout five games.
Following Summer League, he did make a trip to Toronto, before splitting his time between L.A. and Arizona for summer training.
đź“ŤToronto pic.twitter.com/6aCKaGr59d
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 26, 2022
His presence in Toronto is a bit confusing though when compared to Webster’s answer unless he’s simply obtained new documents while waiting out the new contract.
For now, there are plenty of questions about when or even if Koloko will sign, and until we get a contract or a team quote on the matter… well, we’re left wondering what the always-secretive Toronto front office has up their sleeve.
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