Currently holding a 9-7 record while also having to deal with a handful of injuries to start the season, the Toronto Raptors aren't exactly one of the most feared in the NBA right now. Be that as it may, Fred VanVleet is confident that his team is going to step up to the plate when it matters the most.

The Raptors star has now put the entire NBA on notice with his bold prediction for Toronto. According to VanVleet, who himself has been playing some pretty great basketball of late, he is well aware of what his team is capable of. He also knows that the Raptors are going to be a real problem once the postseason kicks in:

“This year, looking ahead, I think we'll be in good shape towards the end of the year and we'll get into the playoffs and make some noise,” VanVleet said, via NBA TV on Twitter. “We got the pieces. We got the coaching. We got the support. So, I feel good about where we are. … We have a chance to do some damage. I wouldn't want to play against us in the playoffs first round, second round. It's gonna be a tough night.”

The Raptors haven't really found success in the league since they won the title back in 2019. Last season, they were eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers. The year before that, the Raptors missed the playoffs altogether.

As VanVleet said, they've now set all that aside, as they look to build on their past failures. FVV clearly feels that this year is going to be different for Toronto. He's already sent out a warning to their East rivals, and it seems like the Raptors are also looking beyond just the Eastern Conference in the playoffs.