Tucker Durkin and Cade Van Raaphorst Sign with Chaos LC
Why It Should Happen: The Chaos have a lot of decisions to make on both sides of the ball. While Coach Andy Towers managed to re-sign LSM CJ Costabile before the start of free agency, both Jarrod Neumann and Matt Rees will be testing free agency and the Chaos could still use another defender even if one of them returns.
So, why not go for two poles who already have some chemistry together in the form of Tucker Durkin and Cade Van Raaphorst?
Let’s start with CVR, whose style of play would give Towers the flexibility to play him at LSM or close defense. CVR is the type of defender that Chaos loves: an athletic defender that can win his one-on-one matchups and hunt two-pointers in transition. The fit would be seamless and provide an upgrade to a defense that has struggled to find a reliable third option on defense.
Yet, why not swing for the fences and add field general Tucker Durkin too? While Durkin’s career could be nearing its end, he still played in all 10 games last season for the Atlas and is just as valuable commanding a defense as he is terrorizing attackmen. He also played with Neumann during their time with the Florida Launch so if Neumann does return, they’re would already be a level of chemistry there.
Why It Won’t Happen: While it’s hard to know how close to the salary cap each team is, the Chaos are likely very tight when it comes to spending given the amount of players from their 2022 roster are now free agents. Towers may decide he’d rather allocate his free agency spending to retaining players than going out and making some splash signings in free agency. While landing both defenders would be huge, adding just one may be more in the cards.
