Jeff Dowtin Jr. Continues to Receive Praise as Contract Decision Looms

The Toronto Raptors are heading toward a decision with Jeff Dowtin Jr. currently ineligible for post-season play on his two-way contract

Aaron Rose | Mar 27, 2023

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Toronto Raptors

Jeff Dowtin Jr. knew all the right things to say.

It’s maybe a little hard to believe the Toronto Raptors' backup point guard is as unaware of his contract situation as he’d like to have you believe. He remains on a two-way deal, eligible to play in only four of Toronto’s final seven games and ineligible for post-season play including the play-in tournament.

Asked if he knows how much money Toronto is below the luxury tax ($693,021), Dowtin laughed.

“I have no idea,” he said, unaware that the Raptors will be right up against the number if his contract is eventually converted.

Has he spoken to his agent about the situation?

“No, like I said, at the end of the day I’m just focused strictly on basketball,” Dowtin added. “If coach gives me the call and says I’m playing tonight, I’m 100 percent ready and prepared. At the end of the day, that’s all it is.”

But it’s hard not to be aware of what’s coming. At some point in the next week, Dowtin’s contract is going to be converted to a standard deal. He’s shown over and over again that he’s among Toronto’s top 12 players and deserves both a spot on the roster and at times a spot in the rotation.

“I think he’s played for us well just about every time he’s gone out there,” said Raptors coach Nick Nurse following Monday’s practice. “We’re always talking about solid play, which is guarding your position as well as you can and executing at both ends of the floor. He’s got us running stuff and is capable of scoring a little bit as well on his own but doesn’t overdo it. He just fits in nicely there on both ends.”

He's an “organizer,” said Fred VanVleet. Dowtin understands what he has to do on the court and he sets his teammates up to the best of his abilities. It’s why he’s begun to set himself apart from the rest of the backup guard pack, finding a niche as a two-way player ahead of Malachi Flynn in the rotation, having already passed the injured Dalano Banton, and quickly approaching the minutes Will Barton once filled prior to his ankle injury.

“He's in there working his butt off every day,” VanVleet added Sunday. “Whenever he gets his opportunities he's out there and he's producing at a pretty high level and give him the ball and he'll make some shots too.”

That’s been Dowtin’s M.O. for his whole life. He’s not a ball hog or possessions eater and has never led his team in field goal attempts, not in college nor in the G League despite having a case for always being the best player on his team.

“I think my main focus is to just play with a lot of pace, … to get to the next action and move the ball from side to side,” he said. “Just being able to create for others, being able to move quickly with the ball and make quick decisions and just think quickly on my feet.”

But if there’s any frustration with his situation, Dowtin wouldn’t show it. He smiled as questions about his situation were peppered at him Monday.

“It would mean a lot,” he said of the possibility of playing in the playoffs this season. “Obviously playing basketball every day is a grateful opportunity. Playing in the playoffs, a lot of guys don’t get that opportunity so playing those I would be grateful to play. Keep playing consistently, keep doing what I’m doing, and help these guys win.”

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