Post-Mortem: 2021-22 Toronto Raptors

[Backcountry]

Of course keep the GM and keep the coach. Those are givens. And performed better than expected (although I had picked them to go 50-32, that was more of a hope than a real prediction).

I believe they are a team on the rise, even though I wouldn't expect them to do any better next season without changes. Scottie will be better (still needs to work on his shooting), the group of FVV, Siakam, OG, GTJ, Precious, Boucher, and Thad can be expected to be just as good, so it all hinges on picking up some better bench parts and trading some of the previous group for upgrades. We're not a piece away from contending, we're at least a couple of pieces. And despite some people's assertions, we will not try to add some shooter who doesn't defend (unless the front office sees something in them that indicates they can learn to). Not likely that any of the contenders are going to part with anyone, so best bet is to look at the perennial loser/treadmill teams like OKC, Orlando, Sacramento, Washington, Charlotte etc. to see what valuable assets can be pried away from them.

Our #33 pick can't be expected to be a game changer (unless we pull off a Jokic-type pick). I expect we'll be a playoff 1st or 2nd round, overachieving type of team for the next few season as trades are made and young players are added as Masai and Bobby build us back up. And who knows, maybe we'll actually land a big FA? There's always a first time.

[ConSarnit]

Offensive Rating: 15th
Defensive Rating: 9th
Rebound %: 11th
Turnover %: 3rd

They are a treadmill team.
* Their offense is very bad. They have no shooters except Fred and he is injury prone. Trent is streaky shooter and not reliable. They have nobody who can go get bucket when needed.
* Their defense is overrated and is bad although not bad as offense. They have no lockdown defensive specialist. OG was supposed to be that guy but he has slipped and also he is injury prone. Teams were able to breakdown their defense.

Trent shot 38% on 7.8 attempts from 3. If he’s not a shooter then 97% of the league aren’t shooters. It’s like literally the only thing he does well on offense. Come on man, use your brain.

[ConSarnit]

I think we can make a small jump next year but it’s tough to map out the future.

-last year for both FVV and Trent’s deals. Both will want a raise. Might have to trade at least one of them

-many guys who can get better. Barnes and Precious are the best bets. OG and Trent still have some room to grow. Banton showed some flashes.

Our shooting coaches need to work overtime this summer. If Barnes, Precious and Banton can become improved shooters a lot of our offensive issues could get resolved.

Our ultimate ceiling goes as Scottie goes.

[OakleyDokely]

Offensive Rating: 15th
Defensive Rating: 9th
Rebound %: 11th
Turnover %: 3rd

They are a treadmill team.
* Their offense is very bad. They have no shooters except Fred and he is injury prone. Trent is streaky shooter and not reliable. They have nobody who can go get bucket when needed.
* Their defense is overrated and is bad although not bad as offense. They have no lockdown defensive specialist. OG was supposed to be that guy but he has slipped and also he is injury prone. Teams were able to breakdown their defense.

Trent shot 38% on 7.8 attempts from 3. If he’s not a shooter then 97% of the league aren’t shooters. It’s like literally the only thing he does well on offense. Come on man, use your brain.

OG also shot 36% on very high volume.

They need more shot creation in the halfcourt, especially guys who can pressure the rim. Adding spot-up shooters won't make a huge overall difference.

The ceiling of this team really depends on Barnes. If he can become a top 10-15ish guy, the Raps will be a contender without many major moves. If he doesn't, Masai will need to make a consolidation trade at some point.

[Ell Curry]

Our 3 worst rotation guys by on/off this year are Barnes (-2), Achiuwa (0) and Birch (-2.8), and there's no reason to think Achiuwa and Barnes won't be better players next year.

So, finding a good center to replace Birch, a bit of improvement from Scottie and Precious, everyone else staying the same basically and this should be a 50+ win team in theory, even if we generally project as a better regular season team than playoff one.

[Ell Curry]

They are a treadmill team.
* Their offense is very bad. They have no shooters except Fred and he is injury prone. Trent is streaky shooter and not reliable. They have nobody who can go get bucket when needed.
* Their defense is overrated and is bad although not bad as offense. They have no lockdown defensive specialist. OG was supposed to be that guy but he has slipped and also he is injury prone. Teams were able to breakdown their defense.

Trent shot 38% on 7.8 attempts from 3. If he’s not a shooter then 97% of the league aren’t shooters. It’s like literally the only thing he does well on offense. Come on man, use your brain.

OG also shot 36% on very high volume.

They need more shot creation in the halfcourt, especially guys who can pressure the rim. Adding spot-up shooters won't make a huge overall difference.

The ceiling of this team really depends on Barnes. If he can become a top 10-15ish guy, the Raps will be a contender without many major moves. If he doesn't, Masai will need to make a consolidation trade at some point.

Yeah, the NBA is largely about your best players (though less purely star than it used to be for sure) and the Raptors are no exception. Assuming Siakam doesn't make another leap, it's really all about Barnes and then our real star, Masai, finding another solid Trent/Achiuwa starter type who addresses one of our 2 major needs (halfcourt scoring and a proper center who fits the team well for some matchups).

[VDT]

Teams like the Raptors always tend to "overachieve". However, there is no clear path forward, i.e. finding a superstar. Good roleplayers or borderline stars are fine, until they need to get paid.

[Statlanta]

Keep the GM
Keep the coach
Above expectations
Treadmill

Run it back/find a way to replace Young

[ATLTimekeeper]

Teams like the Raptors always tend to "overachieve". However, there is no clear path forward, i.e. finding a superstar. Good roleplayers or borderline stars are fine, until they need to get paid.

If they always overachieve it's probably because the analysis is consistently wrong.

The Raptors have consistently paid their guys and not been the worse for it. I have a feeling they just pick the right guys.

[FNQ]

Made the best pick in the draft and Siakam bounce back.. the playoffs were a bonus. Team's definitely on the rise and Masai has cemented himself as one of, if not the, top GMs in the league, undeniably.

A little more guard talent and big man depth and the Raptors could be locked in to a top 4 Eastern seed for the next few years

[VDT]

Teams like the Raptors always tend to "overachieve". However, there is no clear path forward, i.e. finding a superstar. Good roleplayers or borderline stars are fine, until they need to get paid.

If they always overachieve it's probably because the analysis is consistently wrong.

The Raptors have consistently paid their guys and not been the worse for it. I have a feeling they just pick the right guys.

Teams that play hard and with a system will tend to overachieve. Even when they dont have a real star they can be better than teams that have these pseudo star (eg Beal). See for example Doc's Clippers before they got Kawhi. Unfortunately, it most of the times it doesnt mean that they will continue playing like that when the get a superstar or two, for a number of reasons.

Also, its easy to say just pay the guys but you are not going anywhere paying roleplayers big money.

[Anticon]

They need to create a credible platform to attract free agents. That's the only path I can see if they're not going to tank or trade 2 or 3 for 1.

Right now it doesn't look like they're one or two pieces away, so there's still a ways to go.

[Vampirate]

Teams like the Raptors always tend to "overachieve". However, there is no clear path forward, i.e. finding a superstar. Good roleplayers or borderline stars are fine, until they need to get paid.

If you asked Raptor fans this last year we'd agree.

However the drafting of Barnes leaves open the possibility that he'd develop into one.

It's not guaranteed and i'm not sure of the odds, but it's a real possibility he does.

Pretty much nothing else matters in the grand scheme of things.

In short, the Raptors ceiling in the future is however good Barnes becomes.

[Duffman100]

Teams like the Raptors always tend to "overachieve". However, there is no clear path forward, i.e. finding a superstar. Good roleplayers or borderline stars are fine, until they need to get paid.

If they always overachieve it's probably because the analysis is consistently wrong.

The Raptors have consistently paid their guys and not been the worse for it. I have a feeling they just pick the right guys.

Teams that play hard and with a system will tend to overachieve. Even when they dont have a real star they can be better than teams that have these pseudo star (eg Beal). See for example Doc's Clippers before they got Kawhi. Unfortunately, it most of the times it doesnt mean that they will continue playing like that when the get a superstar or two, for a number of reasons.

Also, its easy to say just pay the guys but you are not going anywhere paying roleplayers big money.

Siakam is a role player...?

[timO]

Dont see star potential outside Barnes in anyone of that list.

Trade down from 20 to 33 is a VERY BAD move.

Maxey was #21 for example.

So was Mitch McGrary, Justin Anderson, Pavel Podkolzin etc.

Its funny declaring this a bad move before the draft even happens. The raps said they weren't excited about anyone in that range, so if you consider them a good drafting team that explains there willingdness to drop in the draft

A rising team will take the risk to pick a posible steal on #20 btw when the pick got traded it was #16 or similar.

13 spots for Young? what brings Young of special? and is FA maybe you pay 13 spots for 2 month rental.

Or worst, u sign him for 30/3

[TheGameWinner]

Team Name: Toronto Raptors
Record at Time of Death: 48-34 (.585)
GM: Bobby Webster (2017-) (POBO: Masai Ujiri)
Coach: Nick Nurse (2018-)

Offensive Rating: 15th
Defensive Rating: 9th
Rebound %: 11th
Turnover %: 3rd

GM: Change or keep? Keep
Coach: Change or keep? Keep
Relative to expectations, how did they fare this year? I thought we would be in the lottery... we probably over achieved by riding our starters hard (leading to injuries) - but rising.
Rising, falling, or treadmill?
If you were in charge, what would you do this offseason?

See below:

Notes:
Players under contract next year:
Pascal Siakam ($34m) - Keep
Fred VanVleet ($22m) - Look to flip for a pick
OG Anunoby ($17m) - Keep, make him the first offensive option
Gary Trent Jr. ($17m) - Keep, move to bench role
Scottie Barnes ($8m) - Keep, make starting PG
Khem Birch ($7m) - Bench depth 12-15 man
Precious Achiuwa ($3m) - Develop as a starter
Malachi Flynn ($2m) - Sell
Armoni Brooks ($2m) (Partially Guaranteed) - Sell
Dalano Banton ($2m) (Partially Guaranteed) - Develop in G - league

Team Options:

Player Options:
Svi Mykhaulik ($2m) - Waive

Free Agents:
Thad Young - Keep
Chris Boucher - Keep
Yuta Watanabe - Let go
Isaac Bonga - Let go
Justin Champagnie - Keep
David Johnson

Look for depth i.e. 4th and 5th year college players... score on our 2nd round pick

[payton2kemp]

If they always overachieve it's probably because the analysis is consistently wrong.

The Raptors have consistently paid their guys and not been the worse for it. I have a feeling they just pick the right guys.

Teams that play hard and with a system will tend to overachieve. Even when they dont have a real star they can be better than teams that have these pseudo star (eg Beal). See for example Doc's Clippers before they got Kawhi. Unfortunately, it most of the times it doesnt mean that they will continue playing like that when the get a superstar or two, for a number of reasons.

Also, its easy to say just pay the guys but you are not going anywhere paying roleplayers big money.

Siakam is a role player...?

Raptors turned almost half their roser to win that chip, two starters in Demar/JV the bench guys in Delon Wright/Ross/Poetl. A bunch of these guys won't be part of the next one. FVV and GTJ can be used to upgrade the roster.

[Fencer reregistered]

Raptors just need one superstar how about the King moving to the north?

LBJ likes his beaches, pools and warm weather. Any tolerance he has for colder climes will surely be spent in Ohio.

[ropjhk]

Next season will be a final evaluation for how well the current roster works. FVV and Siakam are on very tradeable deals and could be used to bring in a big name if necessary. At least one of them (likely Siakam) will make the all star team next season. Barnes is a future all star. Precious improved greatly as the season progressed. Trent Jr made improvements and should improve some more. The Raptors 905 team has a few players who look like they could become future rotation players.

The Raptors were a stronger 2nd half team this season and that reflects how the team improved as the season went along. Players made less mistakes on defense and roles were defined.

We should expect a better record for the Raptors next season. I think they can reach 50 wins next season but may still end up 5th-6th in the East.

[YogurtProducer]

Teams like the Raptors always tend to "overachieve". However, there is no clear path forward, i.e. finding a superstar. Good roleplayers or borderline stars are fine, until they need to get paid.

Teams have been saying this about us for a decade