Toronto Raptors Articles - Page 81

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 […]

The Toronto Raptors will enter a key stretch of their franchise core-building, as young Pascal Siakam, the NBA’s Most Improved Player last season, is due for an extension of his rookie contract. NBA executives are divided on whether the 25-year-old is deserving of a max extension or not, as some believe he’s worth the risk, […]

Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse has told guard OG Anunoby several times that his tough 2018-19 season was out of his control. Anunoby played in 67 games during the regular season, but missed the entire 2019 playoffs as a result of undergoing an emergency appendectomy. Via Blake Murphy of The Athletic: “I’ve had several […]

Former Miami Heat star Chris Bosh says he’s “proud” of what he was able to accomplish in his NBA career. Bosh, who had to end his playing career prematurely due to blood clots, says his contributions with the Toronto Raptors and Heat will “live on forever.” “The story’s there. I was able to have big […]

Brittni Donaldson is now the NBA’s 10th female assistant coach after joining Nick Nurse and his Raptors staff for the upcoming season. The 26-year-old is already familiar with the team, serving as a data analyst for the last two seasons. Now, with a new promotion under her belt, she’s ready to take the next step […]

JJ Redick was in the middle of the mayhem when Kawhi Leonard knocked down the series-clinching buzzer-beater that propelled the Toronto Raptors over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of Eastern Conference Semifinals. Redick appeared on Zach Lowe’s podcast and vividly described what it was like to be in that moment and the aftermath that […]

Toronto Raptors center Marc Gasol has had one of the most successful 2019 for an NBA player. Next on the agenda, however, is a brand-spanking-new nickname: “Beer Papi.” The 34-year-old big man from Spain helped the Raptors win the franchise’s first NBA Finals in June, defeating the dynasty Golden State Warriors in six games. Despite […]

Marc Gasol has enjoyed a successful summer, to say the least. In June, the 34-year-old center won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors, besting the Golden State Warriors in 4-2 fashion. Then, over the last couple of weeks, Gasol took part in the FIBA World Cup, where he and the Spanish side earned the […]

Veteran center Marc Gasol is having a great 2019. So far, he’s won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors, and just recently, he helped Spain to a gold medal finish in the FIBA World Cup. Fellow Spaniard Jose Calderon believes that Gasol’s success is a testament to his unselfishness and team-first mentality as a […]