Toronto Raptors all set to sign former Boston Celtics swingman Mickael Pietrus – NBA News
The Toronto Raptors are all set to sign former Boston Celtics swingman Mickael Pietrus to their roster in an attempt to improve the team and get them going this season. Sam Amick of USA Today has reported that the Raptors are looking
to release veteran small forward Dominic McGuire in order to make a place in the roster for Pietrus, who will be joining his new team shortly.
Pietrus played for the Celtics last season and averaged 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in just under 22 minutes of action per game. He is a career 43 percent shooter from the field but that number drops down to 36 percent from the
three point range. However, Pietrus is a good defender who can use his size and height to his advantage and also has good basketball skills. On top of that, he has spent many years in the league with different team, the most recent of them being the Celtics
and hence, has good experience about different playing styles and systems.
The Raptors are currently 3-13 this season and are attempting to turn things around before it’s too late. They added Kyle Lowry and Landry Fields to the roster in the summer, and DeMar DeRozan is growing to become one of the finest
players in the league, with some great performances already under his belt this season. However, they are still lacking the firepower that can enable them to win games, and the team has now decided to try out Pietrus in the hopes that he can help the team
improve to some extent.
The Raptors are tied for 27th in the league this season for points allowed per game and tied for 26 for field goal percentage allowed per game. Hence, it is clear that their issue is not offence, but need help on the
defensive end. In Pietrus, they get a player who has recently played with the Celtics and understands their defensive system, while at the same time also has knowledge and experience of defence. The team will be looking to add him to the rotation to improve
their defence so that they can somehow stop their slump.
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