Toronto Raptors Articles - Page 81

Dallas Mavericks point guard Delon Wright is coming off a season where he split time playing for the Memphis Grizzlies and eventual champions Toronto Raptors. The 27-year-old was traded to the Grizzlies at the 2019 February trade deadline in the Marc Gasol deal, depriving the former first-round pick a chance to compete for the title-clinching […]

The Toronto Raptors finally reached the promise land this past season, winning their first NBA championship. But unlike most other teams who have dreams of repeating, the Raptors may end up fighting just to make the playoffs. Toronto lost its everything in Kawhi Leonard this summer, as Leonard bolted for the Los Angeles Clippers in […]

Joel Embiid was seen emotionally reacting to a devastating Game 7 loss to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, one that included one of the NBA’s most throat-gripping finishes with a four-bounce corner shot by Kawhi Leonard that ended the Philadelphia 76ers’ season. That painful loss haunted Embiid into thinking what else he […]

San Antonio Spurs swingman DeMar DeRozan admits there is some sad feeling seeing the Toronto Raptors win the NBA title without him, but he remains happy for the team and what they have accomplished. “We all human. We all feel some type of way, when you see a previous situation you were part of accomplish […]

The Toronto Raptors may have lost Kawhi Leonard in free agency, but they still have that competitive spirit that helped them win their first-ever championship next season. And even without the reigning Finals MVP, the team still plans to remain competitive this season, and head coach Nick Nurse has indicated that he plans to have […]

Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam has been a revelation last season where he put up 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. He was arguably the team’s second-best player and was vital in the team’s championship run. He capped off his 2018-19 campaign by winning the Most Improved Player of the Year award. […]

Considering that Marc Gasol didn’t have a lot of time to rest his body and recuperate this summer, the Toronto Raptors plan to closely monitor his minutes this season. The Spaniard is fresh from helping the franchise win its first-ever NBA championship back in June and leading Spain to the FIBA World Cup title a […]

After years of torment and postseason woes as a member of the Toronto Raptors, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry finally captured that elusive championship last season. Despite having a long summer to contemplate the achievement, Lowry told Michael Grange of Sportsnet that the feeling of being a champion will not fully sink in until the […]

Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry may have helped deliver the franchise their first championship last season, but his future is relatively uncertain. Lowry is in the final year of a three-year deal he signed with the Raptors back in 2017, but he told Michael Grange of Sportsnet he is not stressing over becoming a free […]

The Toronto Raptors are ready to anoint Pascal Siakam as the face of the franchise. Siakam spoke about the idea and said he doesn’t want to get too carried away with all the chatter, per Josh Lewenberg os TSN Sports. Instead, he wants his game to do all the talking. Siakam on becoming the next […]

Serge Ibaka and the Toronto Raptors were disappointed with Kawhi Leonard’s decision to walk away from the team after leading them to an NBA championship last June. However, he understands the decision Kawhi had to make and was happy for him making it back home to Southern California with the Los Angeles Clippers. Josh Lewenberg […]

Fred VanVleet knows his role for the Toronto Raptors is to be the primary backup for Kyle Lowry. As much as he relished and thrived in his current role, however, VanVleet admitted that he wants to start for the defending champions. FVV-"I'm good with whatever role they give me. I've been vocal in saying what […]

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri says point guard Kyle Lowry will get legacy treatment in contract talks. Lowry has one-year left on his deal with the Raptors. He’ll make $33.3 million this season. Via Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun: Ujiri was asked if the Lowry talks are different than those involving Marc Gasol, Serge […]

Toronto Raptors small forward OG Anunoby is bracing himself to fill the void left by Kawhi Leonard. Leonard, who was unarguably Toronto’s most important player in their title run last season, left the Raptors in free agency. The two-time Finals MVP opted to go home and pair up with Paul George with the Los Angeles […]

Small forward Stanley Johnson believes the Toronto Raptors will be a “nightmare” this season once their defense clicks. Johnson signed a two-year, $7.4 million contract with the Raptors this summer. He says Toronto is going to wreck havoc on the defensive side of the ball this season since they have young and hungry players who […]

Atlanta Hawks veteran Vince Carter admits he would get “chills” if Toronto Raptors fans break out a “We want Vince” chant when the Hawks play up in Toronto. Carter is playing in his final season in the NBA in 2019-20. The former All-Star began his career with the Raptors, where he made a name and […]

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri says he has had conversations with Pascal Siakam’s representatives regarding a contract extension. Siakam is eligible for an extension. If he doesn’t sign one before the upcoming season starts, he’ll enter restricted free agency next summer. “We’ve had conversations with Pascal’s representation and we’re excited whether it’s going to be this […]

The Toronto Raptors just won their first NBA championship, but after a summer in which they lost Kawhi Leonard, expectations for the Raptors have been tempered heading into the 2019-20 campaign. Of course, that is not going to stop their players from being confident. As a matter of fact, OG Anunoby thinks Toronto will win […]

Toronto Raptors wing OG Anunoby did not play at all in the team’s run to an NBA championship last season as the result of an emergency appendectomy he underwent in April. Considered one of the best defensive players on the Raptors’ roster, Anunoby is expected to play a rather key role heading into the 2019-20 […]

Norman Powell is coming off of a 2018-19 NBA campaign in which he helped the Toronto Raptors win their first championship, but that doesn’t mean he rested on his laurels this summer. Powell spent part of his offseason attending Kobe Bryant’s basketball camp, and the wing says he loved the experience: “It was definitely a […]

Toronto Raptors center Marc Gasol has had a whirlwind of a year in 2019. After being traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Raptors in February, Gasol became a key piece for Toronto during its march to the NBA championship. Recently, the veteran big man also helped Spain capture the gold medal during the 2019 […]

Toronto Raptors forward Serge Ibaka is used to being the unheralded piece on a title contender. He was the third option for the Oklahoma City Thunder teams that were driven by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and he became more of a role player for the Toronto Raptors as Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry propelled […]

The Toronto Raptors are coming off of their first NBA championship, but with Kawhi Leonard departing via free agency this summer, a whole lot of the shine has been taken off of the team. However, Raptors big man Marc Gasol still thinks Toronto can accomplish big things this coming season: “We’re a very hungry team,” […]

The Toronto Raptors are coming off of their first NBA championship, but due to the fact that they lost Kawhi Leonard to free agency this summer, people are already counting them out as a contender heading into the 2019-20 campaign. But Kyle Lowry doesn’t care, saying that all that matter is what the Raptors have […]

Toronto Raptors wingman OG Anunoby missed the entirety of the team’s run to the first NBA title in franchise history. After playing in 67 regular season games, Anunoby was forced out of the playoffs with an appendectomy. But now that Kawhi Leonard has left town, the Raptors will need added production from the forward spot. […]

Pascal Siakam took a quantum leap last season for the Toronto Raptors and won the league’s 2018-19 Most Improved Player award. Team president Masai Ujiri believes the 25-year old can replicate that again and take yet another jump this season, per Blake Murphy of The Athletic. Masai says he thinks Pascal can take another jump, […]

The Toronto Raptors won their first NBA championship back in June. A month later, the core of their team was dismantled, as Kawhi Leonard decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers and Danny Green opted to join the Los Angeles Lakers. At Lakers media day on Friday, Green reflected on Leonard’s decision to link […]

The Toronto Raptors face a completely different challenge, fresh off their first championship celebration in 24 years of existence. Veteran players like Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, and Serge Ibaka are currently in expiring contracts, with their future unknown as all of them are 30 years or older and bound for one last sizable contract before […]

Norman Powell of the Toronto Raptors admits that the departure of Kawhi Leonard left a big void in their team. However, he is still confident that their current crop of players have the capacity to defend the title. Speaking with Jeff Blair, Stephen Brunt, & Richard Deitsch of Prime Time Sports, Powell noted how people […]

The Toronto Raptors have engaged in preliminary talks with Pascal Siakam’s representatives for an extension, but there’s no indication a deal is imminent, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN. Siakam is eligible for a contract extension. If he doesn’t sign one before the upcoming season starts, he’ll enter restricted free agency next summer. The Raptors […]

Golden State Warriors big man Kevon Looney showed his mettle in last season’s NBA Finals when he carried on for his side despite a costal cartilage fracture in his rib cage. Looney looked back on what was a very memorable series for him, as he recounted how things transpired after he sustained the injury in […]

Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri says trading DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs last summer in the blockbuster Kawhi Leonard trade was “devastating” for him. DeRozan spent the first nine years of his NBA career with the Raptors. The All-Star made it known many times he wanted to spend his entire career in Toronto. […]

Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri believes that a ‘plenty part’ of Kawhi Leonard wanted to stay in Toronto. Ujiri laid out the key factors that might have attracted Leonard to stay with the Raptors. Apart from winning, the medical staff and the fans played a key role. Per Michael Hoad of Yahoo […]

Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri is confident his team can win another title even without Kawhi Leonard. Ujiri, who orchestrated the risky trade for Leonard in the summer of 2018, was asked if the Raptors can still win it all without their best player. The former NBA Executive of the Year didn’t […]

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown can still vividly remember watching Kawhi Leonard’s rim-bouncing game-winner that ultimately ripped the hearts of his players as the Toronto Raptors moved on to win in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The moment is still crisp, as Leonard created separation on the right side of the floor and flung a […]

Yahoo Sports insider Chris Haynes — who was the first to break the news that Kawhi Leonard was signing with the Los Angeles Clippers — says Leonard was never going to re-sign with the Toronto Raptors. Haynes says going back home to Los Angeles was always the goal for Leonard, who signed a three-year deal […]

Klay Thompson was at the peak of his professional career at a time of need in the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors, who had the dire need to get Kevin Durant back against the Toronto Raptors, were clinging to every bit of hope — requiring Thompson to be at his very best, something he […]

During their six-year partnership with the Toronto Raptors, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan established one of the finest bromances in the NBA. From epic photobombs and cameos to humorous interviews, Toronto’s fun-loving tandem had plenty of chemistry both on and off the floor. However, that chemistry did not result in playoff glory. The Raptors were […]

Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Drake appears to be extremely serious about improving his acumen on the basketball court. As it turns out, it’s not all about talking smack from the sidelines for the Toronto Raptors brand ambassador, as he also seems to have a genuine desire to continue working on his own game. Recently, a video […]