Gone are the days of OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. It's now the Scottie Barnes Era as far as the Toronto Raptors are concerned. Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett are decent complimentary pieces. Bruce Brown Jr., Jakob Poeltl, and Kelly Olynyk have enough experience and guile to get the Raptors close to the NBA Play-In Tournament conversation. The development of Gradey Dick could be one of many deal-breakers though. As Toronto tries to put the pieces together, now is the perfect time for some Raptors bold predictions.
It will be tough to find more help before training camp for starters. The Raptors are being shunned by marginal European prospects at this point of the rebuild process. Not that Toronto would want any going into a stacked 2025 NBA Draft. Still, the latest news around the franchise is about former players facing prison for gambling offenses. Toronto's culture needs a cleanse in many ways.
These ten bold Raptors predictions becoming paid bets would go a long way to convincing Toronto's fans that Masai Uriji is the right person to lead the next championship push.
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Scottie Barnes making All-Star gains
Scottie Barnes has shown flashes of brilliance in his young career. Expect him to take a significant leap after averaging 15.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game last season. The slate is clean now that Anunoby and Siakam are suiting up elsewhere.
Everyone understands the new hierarchy as well. Those wearing We The North gear want to see just how much their number one option can do before spending big on a contending roster next summer.
Bold Prediction: Barnes gets buckets at a rate of 24 points per game and over 30 points per 100 possessions. These stats would be 10% increases on career highs, a great sign before a $38 million cap hit kicks in next season.
RJ Barrett understands scoring assignment
RJ Barrett has every reason to keep a chip on his shoulder. Zion Williamson was the main attraction at Duke despite Barrett being the higher-ranked player on some boards. Barrett shared the rest of the spotlight with Cam Reddish and Tre Jones. Now the 24-year-old has a clear role as Robin to Barnes' Batman. He also has a green light to fire away as the team's leading scorer last season.
Bold Prediction: Barrett proves to be a perfect fit next to Barnes, matching the 20+ points per game and more than 30 points per 100 possession output.
Immanuel Quickley quiets the doubters
Immanuel Quickley wasted no time in taking the reins to the offense after being traded to Toronto. The 25-year-old averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 32 games played with the Raptors last season. Expect Quickley to level out a bit but the per-game production should be enough to keep the critics from chirping up too loudly.
Bold Prediction: Toronto's $175 million point guard averages more than 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game as an up tempo table setter.
Gradey Dick starts strong
Gradey Dick had a strong finish to a solid rookie season. After the All-Star break, he averaged 12.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 43% from the field, 37% from three-point range, and 80% from the free-throw line.
Bold Prediction: Dick flirts with a 50/40/90 start in 2024 but cools after after New Year's Day. The All-Star break reset helps Dick get back in the groove but the second-year sensation comes up just short of the Elite Shooter status symbol.
Kelly Olynyk is back above average
Kelly Olynyk is known for being that guy who always happens to hit a crucial three-pointer on the road, crushing the hopes of a hostile crowd. Unfortunately, that trait did not travel well after the trade back home to Toronto. The Canadian dipped from 42.9% in 50 games with the Utah Jazz to under 34% in 28 games with the Raptors.
Bold Prediction: Olynyk is again good for over 40% from three-point range, boosting his trade value considerably.
Jakob Poeltl fills the stat sheet
Jakob Poeltl averaged 9.1 points and 8.6 rebounds last season and should see an increase in minutes over the next 82 games. The 29-year-old is arguably one of the most underappreciated big men in the game. He is not the quickest up the floor but can cover ground on defense, leading to 2.2 blocks per game last season. Next year is about seeing how much more the offense can expand.
Bold Prediction: Poeltl averages a double-double for the first time in the 29-year-old's career.
Raptors make a playoff run
With a blend of young talent and experienced players, the Raptors will put a scare into several Eastern Conference contenders next season. They'll even pull off a few wins over the top-six seeds, creating a situation where the front office does not pull the plug on the NBA Playoffs run at the trade deadline.
Sure, Toronto was 11 games behind the 10th-seeded Atlanta Hawks last spring. Well, Atlanta let go of an All-Star and still has to placate Trae Young. The Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards will be looking forward to the next two NBA Drafts.
Bold Prediction: Despite a competitive Eastern Conference at the top, the Raptors will secure a playoff spot after the Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, and Chicago Bulls start selling off assets.
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