Darko interview Serbian newspaper - "I have never seen a season like Toronto's"

[Dalek]

Darko did an interview for a Serbian paper last month and I ran a translation of it interesting parts:

He states the obvious about a very weird season.

"We have a very, very specific season behind us. I've been working as a coach for 27 years, I've been in the NBA for 12 years, but I've never seen a season like ours," Rajakovic begins his interview with Mozzart Sport. "A large number of trades during the season, the injuries that followed us, some things that happened to the players off the field... It was a very challenging season, but at the same time a good opportunity to change a lot of things, to establish a different culture in the team, to make a generational change of the entire franchise,"

Scottie is the focal point and the rebuild in two-three years and later mentions shooting as a priority.

"The point of the whole story is that the team is built around Scotty Barnes. This season, he also made it to the All Star selection. We are building the future and the backbone of the team around him, that the guys from 22 to 24 years old are the same, and that we are slowly rising with them in order to through several we could fight with the best opponents and be contenders for the playoffs and the title. This is a process we entered aware that nothing can change overnight. We don't want the process to drag on for five or six years years, we want to be a competitive team again in two or three years . "

On the draft it sounded like for 19 and 31 we are targeting high floor players who can contribute now, but that's my interpretation of a rough translation.

"You see, this draft is considered one of the weaker ones in the last ten years. The next two drafts are extremely high-quality, with a lot of good players who can contribute a lot and change the franchise. I'm not saying there aren't good players in this draft, but I would say there aren't big differences between those who are in the top five-six-seven and those who you can draft in the 15th or 20th place. The draft is quite equal and the players with similar quality. The positive thing is that we saved our position, Yes, our pick went to Spurs, but that's why we will have our pick next season. Everything is relative, how you look at these things," Rajaković continues to explain :

" We have the 19th and 31st picks in this year's draft, they are automatically two rookies who can immediately join the team. It is not easy to develop three or four rookies in the same season. Everything is relative, we are satisfied with our two picks that we kept, we have a good plan with them. This is all a process, nothing happens overnight and this is not something that can suddenly put our franchise in the role of a title contender. It will take a lot of work, patience and wisdom to brought the franchise to where it belongs. As the only team from Canada and outside of the USA, there is a huge public interest here and a desire to get this team back on the path to success .

He goes on to mention a bunch of great programs like OKC and Minny and Denver and that the era of the super team is over. He added a couple draft nuggets as well.

Nikola Topić is estimated to be among the top five-six picks in the next draft...

"Nikola is a very talented guy, he has a bright future ahead of him. A lot will depend on which team he ends up in after the draft, whether he will get a chance to play immediately. He will need a period of adaptation. He is very talented and I wish him all the best in career" .

The third Nikola, Đurišić's 'stock' increased after the 'NBA Combine' in Chicago...

"Another very talented guy, after the election and selection, if he is selected in this year's draft, he will have a lot of work to do, to prove himself. Every major change of continent and going outside the country, where a different type of competition is played, will require a period of adaptation. However, clearly is that he is very talented and I expect him to stay in the NBA and to play in the league for many years ," concludes Darko Rajaković .

For further reading and please correct any of these translations.

https://www.mozzartsport.com/kosarka/vesti/intervju-darko-rajakovic-postavili-smo-zdravu-bazu-cilj-da-toronto-postane-konkurent-za-titulu/483101

[Dalek]

I assume Darko got some time to see Nikola Djurisic at Treviso for Eurocamp recently. He could end up a darkhorse pick at 31.

Read on Twitter

[causal_fan]

If the Translation is accurate then it seems to indicate that the Raptors expect to have high picks in the next 2 drafts .

[NinjaBro]

Thank you for the translation Dalek aka Rob from Pensare Basketball.

"We need to trade Siakam for AJ Griffin before it's too late!" - PhilBlackson

[rapluva]

Nope.. Barnes..IQ and Barrett will not lose games on purpose.. the 3 need to build a chemistry and add players to that core..

Dick
Ochai
Olynk
Draft pick
Draft pick

[Jcity08]

Hole up... are Raptors looking to truly capatilize on the next draft or two? We're not going to trade our pick mid season for a guy who will barely move the needle?

[Dalek]

Thank you for the translation Dalek aka Rob from Pensare Basketball.

"We need to trade Siakam for AJ Griffin before it's too late!" - PhilBlackson

That ain't me. I never worked for Abercrombie and Fitch.

[Duffman100]

"Hard to develop 3-4 rookies"

Man the team is so lazy haha

[MoneyBall]

Thanks for posting. Looks like they're trying to rebuild without shortcuts this time.

[Raps in 4]

Translation: "We're tanking next season"

[anotherhomer]

Thanks for posting. Looks like they're trying to rebuild without shortcuts this time.

that really depends if Keith Pelley is on board with tanking the next 2 years

if they keep Jakob Poetl that means they are not tanking

[bobbyp3588]

Thanks for posting. Looks like they're trying to rebuild without shortcuts this time.

that really depends if Keith Pelley is on board with tanking the next 2 years

if they keep Jakob Poetl that means they are tanking

Did you forget a “not”? Keeping Jak would indicate they are not tanking, I would think.

[ArthurVandelay]

Break out the coolio remix Tanka’s paradise!

“We don't want the process to drag on for five or six years years, we want to be a competitive team again in two or three years .”

2-3 years to be competitive would imply 1-2 years of not competitive???

Tank! Tank! Tank!

But again I don’t think they are good enough to not have a poor record regardless.

[SpezNc]

"Hard to develop 3-4 rookies"

Man the team is so lazy haha

Depends , I think they put a lot of effort in Gradey Dick last season with good results.

If they truly wants to develops player, you may not want 3-4 rookies but instead 1-2 but really take time and give ressources for them to reach their max ceiling .

But obviously if he is just saying that because coach don’t always like rookies because their timing is “win now mode “ and don’t always think about a futur they may never be part off (it’s easier to fire a coach ) then yeah its a bit lazy.

But when I see how they fixed Gradey Dick difficult first half , I have confidence in Darko that he is saying that for the good reason.

[anotherhomer]

Thanks for posting. Looks like they're trying to rebuild without shortcuts this time.

that really depends if Keith Pelley is on board with tanking the next 2 years

if they keep Jakob Poetl that means they are tanking

Did you forget a “not”? Keeping Jak would indicate they are not tanking, I would think.

Technically jakob means they have two years left.....I think the right thing is for raps to tank but I'm not sure Keith pelley and ujiri wants to do that

[Badonkadonk]

If the Translation is accurate then it seems to indicate that the Raptors expect to have high picks in the next 2 drafts .

That's interesting, I got the exact opposite, especially the 2nd paragraph when he says they don't want the process to drag and highlights their core being early 20s.

The long paragraph about the quality of the draft was just that it's flat this year for the most part.

[Tacoma]

Break out the coolio remix Tanka’s paradise!

“We don't want the process to drag on for five or six years years, we want to be a competitive team again in two or three years .”

2-3 years to be competitive would imply 1-2 years of not competitive???

Tank! Tank! Tank!

But again I don’t think they are good enough to not have a poor record regardless.

We've been gunning to win (at least @start of each season) and rebuilding @same time since 2020, so the 'process' has already been dragging on for 5 years. We've had 2 tank seasons (should've been 3 but we got Poeltl instead & still missed the playoffs).

Masai wants to 'give this group a chance,' so we're going into next season the same way, giving BBQ a chance to make the playoffs. If BBQ succeeds, then our growth curve will be shorter coming mainly from existing players.

If BBQ core can't make the playoffs, then they aren't the core to proceed ahead with, so then it's back to the drawing board to find that cornerstone player via the draft and the process could drag on for a few more years in spite of what Darko said.

[ArthurVandelay]

Break out the coolio remix Tanka’s paradise!

“We don't want the process to drag on for five or six years years, we want to be a competitive team again in two or three years .”

2-3 years to be competitive would imply 1-2 years of not competitive???

Tank! Tank! Tank!

But again I don’t think they are good enough to not have a poor record regardless.

We've been gunning to win (at least @start of each season) and rebuilding @same time since 2020, so the 'process' has already been dragging on for 5 years. We've had 2 tank seasons (should've been 3 but we got Poeltl instead & still missed the playoffs).

Masai wants to 'give this group a chance,' so we're going into next season the same way, giving BBQ a chance to make the playoffs. If BBQ succeeds, then our growth curve will be shorter coming mainly from existing players.

If BBQ core can't make the playoffs, then they aren't the core to proceed ahead with, so then it's back to the drawing board to find that cornerstone player via the draft and the process could drag on for a few more years in spite of what Darko said.

That is rebuild in another 3-4 seasons talk.

Watch his press conference again

He’s laid out the plan

[ciueli]

That Darko interview is a whole lot of turd polishing. Sure, he's happy the pick conveyed because next year is a better draft year and they can't develop more than 2 rookies at a time in 2024-25.

What would he be saying if the pick hadn't conveyed, that he's disappointed they kept the 6th pick and now they have to trade it because they can't develop more than 2 rookies at the same time? No, he'd be talking about how the future is bright because they'll get a great player at 6 in this draft who will be a key contributor going forward.

And don't get me started on the long list of excuses he starts off with for a failure of a season. Just ignore that the season was already in the dumpster before any trades were made and any of the players got injured, the entire reason the trades were made was the team and players underperforming, something Darko is absolutely responsible for.

[Harry Palmer]

I want to believe.