The Toronto Raptors seemingly have a roster prepared so as to add a star, and this offseason may very well be an enormous stepping stone for the group.
The Toronto Raptors, this season, missed the playoffs for the third yr in a row. After successful the NBA Finals in 2019, Toronto parted methods with OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and Norman Powell, all of whom performed large roles on playoff groups.
Whereas Toronto is lagging behind a lot of the Japanese Convention, there may be cause to imagine that they may very well be large gamers this offseason.
With skills like Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, the always-underrated Jakob Poeltl, and Brandon Ingram, who’s but to play a sport for them, Toronto might compete for a playoff spot.
Nonetheless, offseason experiences counsel that the Raptors aren’t content material with simply competing, they usually need to be the favorites subsequent season.
After including Ingram final season in a future-driven commerce, it was clear that the previous All-Star wouldn’t play in any respect that yr, though, as soon as he bought wholesome, the Raptors had been anticipated to take the subsequent step.
Ingram has by no means been the true first choice on a playoff group, and the savvy Raptors don’t anticipate him to play that position. Relatively, Toronto seemingly expects Ingram and Barnes to be supporting gamers for a famous person.
“The Raptors are a group that’s beginning to make noise inside the league about searching for a giant fish,” mentioned ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “In the event you’re an Japanese Convention group that’s in the course of the pack, you’re wanting on the groups in entrance of you going, a few of them could not have the ability to keep collectively.”
After early exits, the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers are anticipated to discover some large strikes, and the Boston Celtics shall be with out their greatest participant, Jayson Tatum, subsequent yr. The East, it could appear, is extensive open.
“And so naturally, any group that desires to make a transfer this summer season, particularly a group within the Japanese Convention, you’re going to have Giannis on the board,” Windhorst continued. “Groups within the league are getting the impression that Toronto goes to attempt to do one thing. I had an govt inform me yesterday that he thinks this may very well be an explosive summer season.”
The Raptors have loads of choices this summer season and may very well be main gamers subsequent yr, even after lacking the playoffs.
Relying on what number of younger belongings the Raptors are prepared to half with, this may very well be an enormous summer season for The Six.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, after all, is one of the best participant included in rumors, though the Raptors might need to half with Barnes so as to add him. Kevin Durant can be a stable match, and can be rather more inexpensive, permitting the Raptors to half with solely Barrett, some younger gamers, and draft capital.
The free agent class isn’t one of the best this yr, though Myles Turner and Naz Reid may very well be lured away from their present groups.
With a wholesome Barrett, Quickley, Ingram, Barnes, and Poeltl, Toronto needs to be within the combine for a playoff spot, and that’s earlier than they make a transfer to reinforce their roster. With the East as wide-open as ever, the Raptors and Masai Ujiri can’t be counted out.
