2017–18 NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors
To be honest, every division has at least one team that I find it difficult to write about. I think it’s pretty obvious in whatever I end up writing about those teams, which I really try to avoid. Yes, that’s the Toronto Raptors.
You could say that it’s more difficult for me to come up with good material on the Raps than it is for DeMar DeRozan to pass up a mid-range jumper with 15 seconds left on the shot clock.
It’s also peculiar because the original Raptors colors and jerseys are still among my favorite NBA combos of all-time. And because the Kyle Lowry-DeRozan combo is joyful to watch play out off the court. And because it’s the best sports happening in Ontario right now. It only has a little to do with the fact that Drake is affiliated, and Drake is a grade-A bozo.
Ignore Drake and his whack brand, fake-rap, and comical deadlift form.
Toronto has been a good basketball town for a while now, and for at least the next year or two, that is likely to continue. It’s been fun and I’m glad to see that there is a Canadian franchise that thrives in the NBA. It gives me hope that one day the NBA will go back to Vancouver, British Columbia, and make it work.
Lowry and DeRozan are both signed on huge deals, so the backcourt is set up for the next couple of years. It’s everyone else that helps determine if this is just a playoff team or a playoff team that can win a series or two or three.
Serge Ibaka is still in town for now, but Jonas Valanciunas seems to be on the way out if they can find a taker. Ibaka still has defensive ability and some shooting skill that the team will desperately need to round out their offense around the star guards. He’s also young enough that he should be able to produce at a fairly high level for another year or two before regression due to age becomes a factor.
If JV is on the way out, that means more smallball with Ibaka at the five or a reliance on the combination of Jakob Poeltl and Lucas Nogueira. I’m guessing it’ll mostly be Poeltl, who is a bit more polished, younger, and certainly has a higher ceiling.
Rookie OG Anunoby, K.J. McDaniels, Pascal Siakam, and Fred VanVleet are among the very young players on this roster that will be called on for the second unit and probably some serious minutes depending on their position and health throughout the season. The Raps have a starting five that is pretty strong and will carry them to the playoffs, but they’ll need some great work out of their second unit, too. Anunoby’s role will be interesting based on health. He’s done some things that look promising this preseason in practice court footage. He looks like a guy who can be athletic and very exciting to watch.
Norman Powell aka Norm-Core aka the $41 million-dollar Norm is the guy I’m most excited to watch for Toronto this year. He just signed his brand-new contract that gives him four years at $41 million, and I think he’s clearly worth that much. Now, is Toronto spending that money on him because they can, or because they’re going to utilize him more in their offense? I certainly hope it is the latter.
Powell didn’t have a great start to the 2016–17 season, but by March 1st, he became a very good contributor and that didn’t stop or slow down through the rest of the regular season or into the playoffs. If the Raptors are getting the continuation of last season’s Powell, he could easily become the primary guy on the second unit and really accelerate that team forward by a couple of wins.
Speaking of wins, Toronto had 51 last year, tied for second most in the Eastern Conference last season and the third seed in the playoffs. This year, the numbers I have indicated the Raptors are at 47.5, figuring a slight decline from last season, largely that must be due to the improbability that DeRozan can sustain his effectiveness on his inefficient shot selection. I’d take the over, but only by the bare minimum. 48 wins seems like it is about spot on, but a bad year from DeRozan and Ibaka, coupled with injuries to any other key player could see them go way under.
The mid-range game may be going extinct, but DeRozan and the Raptors will be hoping that it keeps them alive in the hunt for 50 wins this season.
