Toronto Raptors: How Good Can Gary Forbes Be?
Bryan Colangelo always seems to pick up underachieving players that don’t have a place on other teams. James Johnson, Jerryd Bayless, Amir Johnson and now, Gary Forbes. The list dates all the way back to his Phoenix days. When Colangelo signed Gary Forbes to a 3 million/2 yr offer sheet with a team option for year 3, he knew it was a low risk, high reward scenario.
Gary Forbes entered this season with a mindset knowing that he needed to prove his value in this league. Forbes had never really had his shot, but this year he made the most of his minutes on the rebuilding Raptor squad, averaging 6 points in 12 minutes. But here’s the kicker: after the all-star break, Forbes has averaged 9.3 points per game, including 8 double digit scoring games and 2 games over 20 points. Not bad for a player that went undrafted.
The bottom line here is that Forbes has found a home in Toronto, and will certainly provide offence off the bench for the Raps. He has a sweet shooting stroke that Raptor swingmen seem to lack, and when he gets minutes and heats up he can put points on the board in a hurry.
Sound familiar? Former Raptor 6th man Leandro Barbosa and Forbes may not be all that different. Sure, Barbosa is a lot quicker, more experienced, and a more polished player overall, but Forbes certainly has the potential to be the 6th man going forward for Toronto.
Moving Barbosa has given Forbes the opportunity to play and he’s certainly made the most of his minutes. So far, he’s struck gold on the impression he’s made in Toronto, and the Raptors will have one more year to evaluate him before a decision is made on his future. If the 24 year old can continue to contribute off the bench, he’ll be a solid role player for years to come.
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