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From NBC sports
NBA Season Preview: Toronto Raptors
Rob Mahoney
Last season: 22-60. It was even uglier than it sounds.
Head Coach: Dwane Casey, who will finally get another crack at a head coaching gig. Casey seemed to be unfairly typecast as an assistant over the last few seasons, but the Raptors have brought him in on the strength of a championship-worthy defensive system. Casey’s man-zone hybrid defenses were a big reason why there was a parade in Dallas this past summer, and the Raps are hoping to instill the same kind of innovative defensive structure.
Key Departures: Sonny Weems, Reggie Evans, Julian Wright
Key Additions: Rasual Butler, Jamaal Magloire. Oddly enough, this is not a bad thing.
Best case scenario: The Raps take full inventory of all of the various pieces in their collection, decide on a true core for the team, and find a few bites on the trade line. There’s no rush of any kind in Toronto; Bryan Colangelo can explore every single possibility out there, while Casey slowly gets the young guys (Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan, et al) up to speed on their defensive fundamentals.
For that to happen: The Raps need to continue doing exactly what they’ve been doing. It’s almost strange to say it at this point, but credit Toronto for not seeing this season as some critical launch point, and credit Colangelo for electing to fill out his roster with low-salary, low-risk players. Many basketball fans have an instinctive, adverse reaction to any team signing Jamaal Magloire, but at this particular juncture, he legitimately makes sense for the Raptors. Toronto is taking aim for next season — when prized draft pick Jonas Valanciunas will make his way to the NBA — giving little reason to invest or trade for alternative center options. Magloire isn’t good, but he’s cheap…and Canadian, which certainly doesn’t hurt. He’s not the answer, but he also won’t be any kind of problem.
This isn’t a team trying to scrap toward 35 wins with the books as forfeit, but a team being mindful of its future as it attempts a slow rebuild. It can be an arduous process, but barring a Draft night home run, it’s what must be done.
More likely, the Raptors will: See above. There’s only one direction for Toronto to go right now, painful as that might be for Raptors fans.
Prediction: 18-48, but hopefully with a brighter future.
NBA Season Preview: Toronto Raptors
Rob Mahoney
Last season: 22-60. It was even uglier than it sounds.
Head Coach: Dwane Casey, who will finally get another crack at a head coaching gig. Casey seemed to be unfairly typecast as an assistant over the last few seasons, but the Raptors have brought him in on the strength of a championship-worthy defensive system. Casey’s man-zone hybrid defenses were a big reason why there was a parade in Dallas this past summer, and the Raps are hoping to instill the same kind of innovative defensive structure.
Key Departures: Sonny Weems, Reggie Evans, Julian Wright
Key Additions: Rasual Butler, Jamaal Magloire. Oddly enough, this is not a bad thing.
Best case scenario: The Raps take full inventory of all of the various pieces in their collection, decide on a true core for the team, and find a few bites on the trade line. There’s no rush of any kind in Toronto; Bryan Colangelo can explore every single possibility out there, while Casey slowly gets the young guys (Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan, et al) up to speed on their defensive fundamentals.
For that to happen: The Raps need to continue doing exactly what they’ve been doing. It’s almost strange to say it at this point, but credit Toronto for not seeing this season as some critical launch point, and credit Colangelo for electing to fill out his roster with low-salary, low-risk players. Many basketball fans have an instinctive, adverse reaction to any team signing Jamaal Magloire, but at this particular juncture, he legitimately makes sense for the Raptors. Toronto is taking aim for next season — when prized draft pick Jonas Valanciunas will make his way to the NBA — giving little reason to invest or trade for alternative center options. Magloire isn’t good, but he’s cheap…and Canadian, which certainly doesn’t hurt. He’s not the answer, but he also won’t be any kind of problem.
This isn’t a team trying to scrap toward 35 wins with the books as forfeit, but a team being mindful of its future as it attempts a slow rebuild. It can be an arduous process, but barring a Draft night home run, it’s what must be done.
More likely, the Raptors will: See above. There’s only one direction for Toronto to go right now, painful as that might be for Raptors fans.
Prediction: 18-48, but hopefully with a brighter future.
