Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster have their work cut out for them this offseason.
In addition to navigating a coaching change, the Raptors have a number of players set to hit free agency. That includes one-time All-Star Fred VanVleet, as well as a key rotational player in Jakob Poeltl.
Running it back would have been an easier decision had the Raptors made a deep postseason run. Instead, a loss to DeMar DeRozan and the Bulls in the Play-In Tournament prevented them from making the playoffs for only the second time since 2013.
Which of Toronto's players are the most important to retain? Here's what you need to know about the decisions the Raptors have to make.
MORE: DeMar DeRozan believes he could have led Raptors to 2019 championship
Full list of Raptors free agents 2023
The Raptors have six free agents this offseason.
Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and Otto Porter Jr. each had a player option in their contract for the 2023-24 season. Trent and Porter exercised their options to return to Toronto while VanVleet declined his to become an unrestricted free agent.
Additionally, Jakob Poeltl and Will Barton will both be unrestricted free agents while Dalano Banton, Jeff Dowtin Jr. and Ron Harper Jr. will be restricted free agents.
Here's the full list of Toronto's free agents:
| Player | Position | Free agency type | Age |
| Fred VanVleet | PG | Player option | 29 |
| Dalano Banton | PG | Restricted | 23 |
| Jeff Dowtin Jr. | PG | Restricted | 26 |
| Will Barton | SG | Unrestricted | 32 |
| Ron Harper Jr. | F | Restricted | 23 |
| Jakob Poeltl | C | Unrestricted | 27 |
Unrestricted free agents are free to sign with any team. Restricted free agents can sign an offer sheet with any team, but their original team can retain them by matching the offer sheet.
Ranking the Raptors' top free agents of 2023
1. Fred VanVleet, PG
VanVleet is one of the better development stories in NBA history.
It didn't take VanVleet long to establish himself as one of the league's best sixth men after he went undrafted in 2016. He then played a key role in the Raptors winning their first championship in 2019 and joined a short list of undrafted players to make an All-Star team in 2022.
VanVleet's limitations are clear at this point — his size limits him as a finisher and he's not the most efficient scorer — but he's a knockdown shooter who can play with and without the ball in his hands, and he's a highly disruptive defender. He'd make sense on a lot of teams with what he brings on and off the court.
The Raptors aren't projected to have cap space in the offseason and don't have a clear replacement for VanVleet, so they'd struggle to fill his shoes if he were to walk in free agency.
MORE: What should the Raptors do with Fred VanVleet in free agency?
2. Jakob Poeltl, C
Poeltl's second stint with the Raptors was short but productive. He hit the ground running and filled a number of important gaps on both ends of the court, making his presence felt as a passer, finisher, rim-runner, screen-setter and rim protector.
The Raptors traded Khem Birch, a first-round pick and two future second-round picks to acquire Poeltl at the trade deadline. It's hard to imagine the franchise giving up that much draft capital for Poeltl if they weren't prepared to re-sign him in free agency. Not that he'll come cheap — Poeltl will be in high demand from teams looking for a center this summer. He's probably the third-best big man available behind Nikola Vucevic and Brook Lopez.
3. Jeff Dowtin Jr., PG
There was some hope that the Raptors would convert Dowtin's two-way contract last season, but they ended up not waiving anyone to create space for him.
Dowtin appeared in 19 regular season games with the G League's Raptors 905, posting averages of 16.9 points, 6.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 41.3 percent from 3-point range. He has flashed two-way potential.
4. Dalano Banton, PG
The No. 46 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Banton showed promise in his rookie season with the Raptors. He appeared in fewer games and saw his role reduced in 2022-23, but he still has appeal as a 6-foot-9 guard who can get downhill and make plays defensively.
5. Ron Harper Jr., F
Harper spent most of the 2022-23 season in the G League with the Raptors 905. Over 30 regular season games, he averaged 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He's slightly undersized as a 6-foot-6 forward, but he makes up for it with a massive 7-foot-1 wingspan.
6. Will Barton, SG
Barton has long been one of the NBA's best sixth men, but he's now in his early 30s and is coming off of a down season that saw him average his fewest points in a decade. He appeared in 16 games with the Raptors after securing a buyout with the Wizards, averaging 4.5 points on 35.4 percent shooting from the field.
