After the Toronto Raptors fired Nick Nurse this offseason, the team was in limbo for the next few months. While other teams were quick to make their new hires, Toronto took their sweet time in selecting their new coach. That essentially put a lot of the team's offseason moves on hold, too: without a coach, the team really had no direction. Making decisions without a head coach is a recipe for disaster.

Now, the Raptors finally have their guy: former Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Darko Rajakovic. Rajakovic was a name that flew under most fans' radars, especially with guys like Mike Budenholzer and Monty Williams floating around. With this hire, though, we now get a peek into what Toronto's plans are for the 2023 offseason and the 2023-24 season. Let's take a look into these plans.

Rajakovic, a player's coach

One of the hallmarks of the Raptors over the last decade or so has been their player development. Toronto is generally recognized as one of the best teams for young players to go to. The results speak for themselves: DeMar DeRozan went from a player with shoddy handles and shotmaking to becoming one of the most prolific scorers and playmakers in the league. Pascal Siakam followed a similar trajectory, going from a pure hustle and energy guy to a legitimate two-way presence. Fred VanVleet is perhaps the greatest undrafted player story of the decade.

Over the last few years, though, the Raptors' player development has seemingly taken a step back. Toronto had some interesting young players in the roster, but none of them really panned out the same way that DeRozan or Siakam did. There was hope that a player like Dalano Banton and Malachi Flynn could crack the regular team, but they never really succeeded… or got a chance to prove themselves. Scottie Barnes, the prized young gun of the Raptors, saw his play significantly decline last season, too.

That's part of the reason why the Raptors decided to let Nick Nurse go  this season. For all of the things Nurse does right, his rotation decisions are easily one of the most questionable parts of his game. Nurse is the anti-Bud, preferring to stick to a tight rotation even in the regular season. While that's a conscious decision to try and win more games, it also stymies the young players' ability to develop against NBA competition.

Now, the Raptors are getting a coach that is proven to be able to take his players to the next level. Rajakovic has worked with players like Steven Adams, Victor Oladipo, Andre Roberson, and most recently, Desmond Bane. Toronto is hoping that Rajakovic can kick-start Toronto's once-lively player development.

Will the Raptors trade Scottie Barnes or their young players?

The Rajakovic hire solidifies the notion that the Raptors will be keeping Scottie Barnes around for the long run. Barnes is their crown jewel, the product of that catastrophic season in Tampa. If Rajakovic was able to develop Desmond Bane into an elite scoring threat, then the hope is that he can do the same thing for Barnes.

What's a little less clear, though, is the Raptors' decision regarding Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet. Both players have been on the chopping block all postseason long. However, if we were to predict what would happen to these players, I'd say that a trade is more likely to happen. After running on the proverbial wheel for so long, Toronto might just blow it up. Hiring a coach known for his development of young players gives more credence to the rumor that the Raptors are thinking about packaging Pascal Siakam to the Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and the third overall pick.

The most interesting piece to follow here, though, is OG Anunoby. Anunoby is one of Masai Ujiri's pet projects. It's clear that Ujiri values Anunoby a lot: he refused to include him in the trade for Kawhi Leonard in 2019, and despite multiple rumors around him, he's still on the team.

Anunoby might be the Raptors' most attractive trade piece outside of Siakam. However… he's also just 25 years old. He's come a long way from his rookie season, but there are still gaps in his offensive game. His handle is still shaky at times. He has a tendency to tunnel vision and ignore open passes. Rajakovic's arrival could help Anunoby reach his full potential with the Raptors.

The initial reaction to this hiring is that Scottie Barnes' position on the roster is all but secured. You don't hire a developmental coach only to trade your most malleable piece immediately. As for OG Aununoby… I'm inclined to believe that the forward will be staying in Toronto. His potential is sky-high, and there's still time to fix some of the critical problems of his game. I'd love for the Raptors to keep Siakam and VanVleet, but the most likely option is that both players are traded this season. Siakam is likely the first to go, considering the reported Blazers offer.