In the 2019-20 season, the Toronto Raptors still finished second in the Eastern Conference despite the departure of superstar Kawhi Leonard. The following season, Toronto played all their games away from their home floor because of the COVID restrictions mandated in Canada.

The Raptors dropped all the way down as they did not even contend for a spot in the play-in tournament.

Now, big seasons are expected from the duo of Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby, while Pascal Siakam is projected to recover from shoulder surgery and continue to produce for Toronto. The 2021 No. 4 overall Scottie Barnes, as well as Chris Boucher and Gary Trent Jr. are just some of their other young studs who are expected to have a huge role this 2021-22.

With that, here are five interesting questions that the Raptors need to find an answer for this season.

5. Is Pascal Siakam going to be at All Star-caliber level?

With Leonard leaving for the Los Angeles Clippers, Siakam was granted the leadership role of this young franchise. He is not the typical vocal leader because of his personality, but he was an All Star starter two seasons ago. Even with his unfortunate drop-off, Siakam has the opportunity to revitalize his game and showcase his repertoire on both ends of the floor.

Siakam must also mitigate his issues with head coach Nick Nurse after he was fined and benched for numerous games last season for disciplinary actions. As a leader, he must galvanize their group and motivate them to unleash their capabilities.

With his comeback, there is a huge chance for Toronto to improve on their abysmal showing last season.

4. Can OG Anunoby win Most Improved Player?

Anunoby was drafted as a typical 3-and-D player, but there are spurts wherein he showed his wide-range of skills. With Siakam still recovering from shoulder injury, Anunoby and VanVleet will be the main men to run the offense for Toronto.

Anunoby could be more assertive and aggressive with his drives and shooting because he is able to sustain himself as a dangerous threat in Toronto's offense.

The ability of Anunoby to attack the closeout by opponents or become the secondary playmaker in their offensive schemes can easily increase his points and assists production this season. Additionally, he is a pest on the defensive end with his long arms and intelligent IQ.

3. Was selecting Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs the right move?

Jalen Suggs was the catalyst of the Gonzaga squad that almost went undefeated the whole college season. Majority of the mock drafts had Toronto selecting Suggs, especially with the departure of Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat.

Barnes has proven that his skill set is at a higher level as he has performed excellently in the pre-season and first two regular seasons. With his hustle and maturity on both sides of the court, Barnes' repertoire is more NBA-ready compared to Suggs. He could have more upside, but Barnes can contribute instantly in Nurse's system.

2. Is Chris Boucher the Raptors' starting center of the future?

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Nurse experimented with many center lineup combinations last year, especially after they traded for Khem Birch in the middle of the year. With Precious Achiuwa coming in the Lowry trade, the frontcourt rotation is deep once again. The ability for Nurse to find the perfect lineup combinations similar to their championship run will be integral to their success this campaign.

Boucher's built is less than 200 pounds, which could be a cause of concern on the block. However, his shot block process is one of the best association along with his consistent set shot from behind the arc. As Boucher continues to develop, it challenges Nurse to allot him more minutes in the rotation rather than deploying Birch, Achiuwa or even Siakam as a small ball center.

1. How will the Raptors' bench look like?

In the 2019 championship run of Toronto, Nurse had a reliable bench every game composed of Serge Ibaka, VanVleet and Norman Powell. He is known to utilize his second unit and provide them with ample opportunities because it's tough to rely on his core too much for the whole 82-game season.

With only four holdovers from their championship squad, Nurse has the enormous challenge to search for consistent production from individuals, like Goran Dragic, Achiuwa and Svi Mykhailiuk. These three new players are starting the season from the bench, but they must be able to fully understand and flourish under their specific roles. Injuries are inevitable in the grueling grind, thus a deep rotation is instrumental for the long-term success for this franchise.

When Siakam returns in the next few weeks, he could be the perfect boost to catapult the Raptors to a surprise start this season.