Former Phoenix Suns big Aron Baynes gives Toronto Raptors Marc Gasol-Serge Ibaka combo
Ibaka #Ibaka
Aron Baynes starts new journey with Toronto Raptors in Tampa
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Aron Baynes had a decision to make with little time to think it through.
With a third child on the way, Baynes was trying to figure out whether to keep his family in Phoenix for the birth or head to Tampa where his new team, Toronto, has relocated for the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions in Canada.
The adventurer in Baynes chose the latter.
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“It’s been fun to navigate and full credit to (his wife),” Baynes said. “She’s being amazing as always. Just proves she’s my better half and tougher than me every single day.”
The Raptors are welcoming Baynes’ toughness and everything else he brings as the two sides agreed to a two-year, $14.3-million deal for the unrestricted free agent, who had a career year last season with the Suns.
“We know he brings toughness and shooting abilities,” said Raptors president of basketball operations, Masai Ujiri. “He’s one guy you don’t like on the other team and you love on your team.”
Baynes said he didn’t talk to Phoenix during free agency. That’s the agent’s job, he says, but Baynes acknowledged the Suns did congratulate him on the move.
“I was lucky I had a great group of guys and we all enjoyed playing for each other,” Baynes said. “I think that’s what allowed us to get some success at the end of the year. Like always I said when I was there, we played within (head coach Monty Williams’) system, that usually put us in a place to succeed. I enjoyed my time out there. I enjoyed the freedom they allowed me in my game. I enjoyed being part of trying to help them take that next step.”
The Raptors and Suns will face each other Jan. 6 in Phoenix in the first of two meetings in this shortened 72-game regular season.
“Now it’s all business,” Baynes said. “I’m looking forward to getting out there and playing against them. On paper, they’ve improved through free agency. I’m looking to go out there and compete with them again. It’s always fun going up against your mates.”
The rugged 6-10 Baynes, who turned 34 years old Wednesday, posted career highs in points per game (11.5), rebounding (5.6) and 3-point shooting.
Aron Baynes’ career night lifts Phoenix Suns past Portland Trail Blazers, 127-117
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“He looks very good,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “Am I learning anything? He’s a much better shooter than maybe I envisioned, for one. The physicality and the screening and some of those things, obviously you always get a taste of when you play against him because he’s one of the tougher, more physical guys in the league. Right up there. Him and (Steven) Adams right?”
Nurse added Baynes has already shown to be a good teammate, very coachable and wants to win.
“There’s personality things, you don’t know a guy so know you get to know them, but he seems a great member of the team and fitting into our culture so far really good,” Nurse concluded. “
Baynes’ ability to pick-and-pop for 3s is similar to what Serge Ibaka brought to Toronto, but he also has qualities that remind Nurse of former Raptor Marc Gasol.
The Raptors got a 2-for-1 with Baynes.
“It’s kind of a combo between those guys a little bit,” Nurse said. “Gasol is one of the best passing bigs in the world. Aron’s got a little bit of that in his game. I wouldn’t say he’s the passer that Gasol is, but he has a decent handle of getting it safely from side to side on swinging and DHOs, little handoffs.”
Baynes is still in adjustment phase on Nurse’s defensive concepts, but he’s feeling his way into it. Baynes has always been more of a position defender who draws charges than a shot blocker.
“There’s a couple of nuances, but all and all, the NBA game comes down to a lot of pick-and-roll defense,” Baynes said. “Nick throws in a few different looks and a few other little other things. There are some changes in the vocabulary, but beyond that, it’s very similar to things I’ve done here and things I’ve done there. It’s just a matter of putting it all together and also getting on the same page with everyone.”
Baynes is also new teammates with a former Suns player — 7-footer Alex Len.
The Suns took Len fifth overall in the 2013 draft. Len averaged 7.2 points and 6.5 rebounds in five seasons with Phoenix before joining Atlanta as a free agent in 2018.
Len played for the Hawks in 2018-19, was traded to Sacramento in February of last season and is now with the Raptors.
“He’s come in here and been willing to learn,” Baynes said. “He’s doing a great job of that. He’s fitting into the system and finding where he can exploit different opportunities for himself and also create for others.”
Baynes joins a team that’s been impacted by COVID-19 as the team announced Monday three members of the organization have tested positive for the virus.
That hit home with Baynes, who contracted the virus before the bubble as his wife was pregnant and their daughter has asthma.
“We were definitely worried about what was going to happen,” Baynes said. “As much as it knocked me on my butt, any moment that I was awake, it was complete dread and scared as to what was going to happen for their safety.”
Baynes ultimately made it through and joined the Suns right before they started playing “seeding” games in the bubble. Baynes didn’t play in the bubble as he struggled with conditioning at first and then suffered a knee injury in practice, but is now with the Raptors, who have COVID-19 cases.
However, Baynes is confident in the safety measures the team is taking in Tampa.
“We’re in the best possible circumstances to be doing what we’re doing,” Baynes said. “They look after everything for us. So, it’s really not much stress on us in terms of what we have to do on a day-to-day schedule. The hardest thing for us is having to remember to go and get a test every single day. ”
Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Former Phoenix Suns big Aron Baynes gives Toronto Raptors Marc Gasol-Serge Ibaka combo