Masai Ujiri is a boss.
The Toronto Raptors general manager has not only pulled off some of the most impressive trade hauls in recent history, helping to create a ninja-like reputation when it comes to player acquisition—perhaps best evidenced by dumping Andrea Bargnani on the New York Knicks in exchange for a first-round pick.
Ujiri also pulled off a rare feat in today’s NBA landscape: finding value on the free agent market.
Like most GMs, Ujiri was heavily involved in free agency, offering big contracts to DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph before striking gold on an unheralded addition.
But on a per-dollar basis, the Raptors’ acquisition of centre Bismack Biyombo was not only the team’s most crucial addition, but one of the best value signings in recent history.
Biyombo’s contract is extremely cheap by NBA standards. He earned just $2.81 million per season, which tied him in the NBA for 225th overall in 2015-16 salary and ninth overall on the Raptors, according to Spotrac.com. For context, players such as Nik Stauskas, Udonis Haslem, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Luis Scola all had higher salaries this season than Biyombo but none provided the production the Raptors centre has, particularly now in the playoffs.
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The 23-year-old is proving to be far more than just a shot-blocking presence with limited offensive ability, as he was pegged when Ujiri signed him in the off-season.
Biyombo has proven to be durable, playing in all 82 regular-season games for the first time in his career, and has rounded out his game nicely, notching career-highs in rebounds, free-throw attempts and free-throw percentage this season. And he’s still excelling at what he was initially brought to Toronto to do—he finished fifth among qualified players in blocks per 48 minutes.
While his regular-season performance exceeded even the most reasonable expectations, Biyombo has taken his game to another level in the playoffs.
Since being thrust into a starting role — due to an ankle injury to emerging centre Jonas Valanciunas, Biyombo recorded three double-doubles, at least two blocks or more in seven of his last eight games, and a stunning 26-rebound and four-block effort in Game 3 against the Cleveland Cavaliers that helped the Raptors get back into the Eastern Conference Finals series. The energetic big man owned Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving in the paint on Saturday night and then ignited the Air Canada Centre crowd with a massive block on LeBron James to help seal the series-tying victory in Monday’s Game 4. He’s been been an absolute game-changer.
So where does Biyombo’s performance rank him among notable playoff bargains?
There’s certainly a case that players like James or Shaquille O’Neal have provided more value — even with massive salaries — than any other free agents in league history. But how many teams in the last decade, or the NBA salary cap era, have gotten this kind of playoff production from a player earning less than $3 million?
With the exception of rookie contracts, which we’re not counting, it rarely exists.
Here is the list of the top playoff bargains in sports in the last decade:
1) Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors, 2015 ($10.6 million) — Sure, a player making $10 million hardly seems like a bargain, but by NBA standards it is. Remember Terrence Ross’ new extension will be worth just about the same price, and Curry dropped 28.3 points per game in 21 playoff games last season in his first-ever championship season. That’s value by any measure.
2) Bryan Bickell, Chicago Blackhawks, 2012-13 ($541,667 cap hit) — As a 26-year-old, Bickell was making less than $1 million so he ranks high on a per-dollar measure. Bickett finished the playoffs second in Chicago in scoring behind Patrick Kane with nine goals and 17 points in 23 games en route to a Stanley Cup.
3) Bismack Biyombo, Toronto Raptors, 2015-16 ($2.8 million) — It’s just so rare to find a young defensive stopper in free agency at such a cheap price.
4) Nick Bonino, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2015-16 (cap hit of $1.9 million) — Bonino has bounced around the NHL in recent years but has finally found a nice home on a line with Phil Kessel and Carl Hagelin with the Penguins. So far, Bonino is averaging close to a point per game, 15 points in 17 playoff games, and is tied with Sidney Crosby in total playoff points entering Wednesday’s action.
5) Ray Allen, Miami Heat, 2012-13 ($3.1 million) — Allen took less money to play for a contender at the end of his career, but the veteran shooter still contributed to Miami’s championship with an especially clutch three-point shot that helped beat the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals.
6) Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning, 2014-15 (cap hit of $2.3 million) — The Lightning goalie was making peanuts by most starting goalie standards, but he still pulled his weight in helping Tampa Bay get to the Cup final last season. He went 13-11 with a stellar .921 save percentage and a 2.18 goals-against average in the post-season.
7)Julian Edelman, New England Patriots, 2014 ($2.75 million) — Edelman was a very effective receiver who torched the Seahawks in the Super Bowl with nine catches on 12 targets for 109 yards and the game-winning touchdown.
8) Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays, 2015, ($3,9 million) — Estrada only made two playoff starts, but he excelled on the biggest stage for the Blue Jays. He allowed just four earned runs in 13 innings with 11 strikeouts and just one walk and helped bring the Blue Jays within two games of their first World Series appearance since 1993.
9) Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks, 2013 (cap hit of $4.8 million) — Bennett was making a little more than many above him on this list but similar to the Raptors with Biyombo, the Seahawks struck gold on a short-term contract for an emerging player at a positiion of value. It’s rare to find veteran pass rushers at less than $5 million and Bennett was especially disruptive during the Seattle’s’ run to the Super Bowl.
10)Shane Battier, Miami Heat, 2012-13 ($3 million) — Battier ranks 10th because his production doesn’t match the players listed above, but the veteran forward was a crucial glue guy and defensive presence that helped turn Miami into a championship team.
Biyombo’s ranking is further proof that the Raptors hit a home run, landing an ascending talent that has become a heartbeat player in the locker room at a minuscule cost on his second NBA contract.
H has developed into a beloved figure in the city and has helped shore up the defence that was woefully exposed in last year’s disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Washington Wizards.
Really, he’s been so much more.
Biyombo will certainly be rewarded this coming summer. He’s expected to opt out of his contract and should land a deal worth north of $11 million per season. It remains unclear if that will be in Toronto, who may not be able to afford to keep him.
However, for now, the Raptors are reaping all the benefits from landing Biyombo and it’s helped bring them legitimately close to contending for a spot in the NBA Finals. Who ever saw that coming?
Have more names to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.