Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Raptors Extend Qualifying Offers to Champagnie, Johnson, & De Colo
The Toronto Raptors have extended qualifying offers to their three restricted free agents this summer.
Justin Champagnie, David Johnson, and, for accounting purposes, Nando De Colo were all extended qualifying offers the Raptors announced Tuesday. The offers allow Toronto to match any contract offers those players receive and keep them with the organization moving forward.
Champagnie and Johnson were both rookies for the Raptors last season and spent much of the season developing with the Raptors 905. The former of the two showed promise as a quality rebounder and gritty defensive player who began to develop a three-point shot and some offensive skills in the G League. He averaged 21.1 points on 48.9% shooting from the floor and 40.9% shooting behind the arc with 8.3 rebounds per game in 14 G League games last season.
For Johnson, it was a mostly injury-plagued rookie season after being selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft. He averaged 11.5 points in 23 G League games while shooting 40.7% from the floor and 32.4% from behind the arc.
The 35-year-old De Colo hasn't played for Toronto since 2014 and has shown no interest in coming back overseas. Extending him the qualifying offer has no cost to the organization but gives the Raptors the ability to use him in a trade should that be necessary down the road.
