The Raptors have five free agents coming into this summer. Chris Bosh is the biggest of the free agents and he’s likely going to opt out of his contract. I can see him pretty much forcing the Raptors hand in a sign and trade deal. With Bosh likely leaving the Raptors should try to re-sign Amir Johnson who really stepped up at the end of last season when Bosh was injured. The Raptors would probably have an interest in bringing back Rasho Nesterovic or Antoine Wright at their price. Patrick O’Bryant probably will be allowed to leave as he didn’t do too much to help the Raptors last year.

All the Raptors can do is offer 26-year old PF/C Chris Bosh a max deal and let the cards fall where they may. But it’s starting to look like Bosh’s new address will be in the United States. Bosh played in 70 games (all starts) for the Raptors last season and he averaged 36.1 minutes, 24.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game. Bosh has played seven years now with the Raptors in which he has played in 509 games (497 starts) and he has averaged 37.0 minutes, 20.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 blocked shots per game. The Raptors will need to find a rebounder over the summer if Bosh leaves Toronto or they will be too soft next season. Of course in a ideal world Bosh would stay with the Raptors.

The Raptors might have benched 20-year old shooting guard DeMar DeRozan late in the year but they still really like his upside. DeRozan played in 77 games (65 starts) for the Raptors this season and he averaged 21.6 minutes, 8.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. If Chris Bosh leaves the Raptors over the summer look for DeRozan to be a bigger part of the offense next season.

The Toronto Raptors needed to win against the New York Knicks last night if they wanted to stay alive for a chance at the final seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.  They made sure they did their part by beating the Knicks 131-113, behind 24 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, and 1 steal from Andrea Bargnani.  Bargnani has done a nice job taking on most of the scoring burden with Chris Bosh out with a nasal fracture.  Yet, beating the Knicks was not going to be enough, because they also needed some help from the Charlotte Bobcats who played the Bulls last night.  Well, the Bobcats weren’t much help, as the Bulls beat them 98-89 and clinched the eight seed in the Eastern Conference, knocking the Raptors out on the final day of the regular season.  It was really unfortunate for the Raptors that their star player, Bosh, got hurt at the worst time of the season.  Had Bosh not gotten hurt, things may have gone a lot differently for the Raptors in the final stretch of the 2009-’10 season.  He did get hurt though, and the Raptors missed out on a huge opportunity when they lost to the Bulls last Sunday.  Although the Raptors crumbled in the month of April, you can’t be too upset at them since they were without their top player when they needed him most.

If the Toronto Raptors want to be in this year’s NBA playoffs, then they have to win tonight’s game against the New York Knicks.  The Raptors are one game back of the eighth seeded Chicago Bulls, but the Raptors own the tiebreaker.  So, if the Bulls lose and the Raptors win, then the Raptors will win the final playoff spot.  However, if the Bulls win it doesn’t matter whether or not the Raptors win or lose, as the Bulls will be a game ahead.  Judging by the way the Bulls played last night in their win over the Boston Celtics, things don’t look good for the Raptors.  The Bobcats do have a better record than the Bulls and they are the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, so it is anyone’s game.  If the Bulls do win, it looks like the Raptors’ loss to the Bulls last Sunday cost them the playoffs.  That and losing their best player, Chris Bosh, at the most important part of the season.  The Raptors have to forget about those things though and make sure they get a win tonight.  Guys like Andrea Bargnani, Sonny Weems, Amir Johnson, and Jarret Jack have had some nice games with Bosh out, but they will all need to step up tonight against the Knicks.  It is win or go home for the Raptors, and it will be interesting to see how they respond tonight.