Subscribe
Follow Us
For the first time in 10 years, the Toronto Raptors will enter the new season without Kyle Lowry. It'll be a tricky path to trek, especially given the developments in the Eastern Conference. Perhaps the good thing for the Raps is that they still have a pretty solid core from 2019. They also got a lottery pick in Scottie Barnes, which means that they're more or less set in the long run.
With the overall landscape in the East and the Raptors' series of roster moves, will the team ultimately make it back to playoff contention? Let's try to predict what's in store for Toronto in the 2021-22 NBA season.
3. The Raptors will make strides on defense
The Raptors recorded a 112.0 defensive rating last season for 15th in the league. It is a pretty decent record and might be the reason team was able to keep its head above water all season long. This is a combination of Nick Nurse's savviness and the current make of the roster.
As for one, out of the 15 players in their roster, a total of eight players have at least a seven-foot wingspan. Chris Boucher, the tallest in the roster at 6-foot-10, has a 7-foot-4 wingspan. Their smallest player with a massive wingspan (7-foot-1) is Ishmail Wainright, who stands 6-foot-5. Even Scottie Barnes, their fourth overall pick, has a massive 7-foot-3 wingspan.
Basketball has always been a game of height and length. We all know how long players can disrupt passing lanes, deflect passes, and block or contest shots effectively. Not just that, if you look at the team, almost all of them can guard multiple positions. This is a great advantage in today's position-less basketball. The Raptors won't have trouble in switches. Targeting Fred VanVleet makes the most sense, but what will you do once you get in the lane with a bunch of lengthy players gang up on you?
Nurse will likely place more emphasis on defense this season. And once again, it'll keep their heads above water.
2. Nick Nurse and Co. will fall short of making the playoffs
Just like last season, the Raptors will likely fall short of making the playoffs once again. The Eastern Conference has been getting stacked year after year. The likes of the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks—teams who have struggled to make the postseason for the last couple of years—will likely be perennial contenders for the seasons to come. The Charlotte Hornets, with the emergence of LaMelo Ball, could also qualify for the postseason.
Moreover, let's not forget about the Washington Wizards who received a major boost with the Russell Westbrook transaction.
Article Continues Below
These realities in the East will make it extra difficult for Nick Nurse to guide his team to a postseason appearance. However, this is not an indication that they are headed in the wrong direction or that they should overhaul their roster completely. Losing Kyle Lowry without a doubt created a dent. It is also important to highlight that they lost key guys like Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol and Normal Powell since winning the title in 2019.
While they still have Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet, it's not as solid and formidable as their championship core before. Are the Raptors currently rebuilding? Or are they waiting for the likes of OG Anunoby or their prized rookie Scottie Barnes to emerge? Whatever the case may be, even if the Toronto falls short of making the postseason, they are still in good shape.
1. Masai Ujiri will pull off another blockbuster with the Raptors in February
Masai Ujiri was set to become the laughing stock of the league or the greatest front office executive of all time after he acquired Kawhi Leonard via trade. To recall, Leonard was expected to stay just one season with the Raptors and leave. This would mean that if Toronto lost, then they practically got nothing from the trade.
As fate would have it, the Raptors won it all. Leonard was immediately put on the pedestal as a basketball god. More importantly, Toronto has a great basketball mind in Ujiri.
In last year's trade deadline, Ujiri sent Norman Powell to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood. This was a pretty courageous move given that Powell has been steadily rising as an offensive weapon. This says a lot about Ujiri's mindset–on how he's willing to part ways even with his best players.
From the looks of it, no one is untouchable on the Raptors' roster. Ujiri will likely keep on beefing up his squad. With that said, don't be surprised if a trade package includes one of the Raptors' key pieces once again.
