Toronto Raptors Blog

I write about the Raptors.

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Return From the Dead

Hello Raptors fans, and welcome back for another Raptors related blog post from yours truly. Now I must apologize for taking such a long hiatus from blogging. The last couple of seasons watching the Raptors has been a pleasure, and I figured I’d take a step back and enjoy the ride. But I’m back.

Where to even begin? Well as most of you know, the Raptors have come off their most successful season in franchise history winning 56 games, and coming within 2 games of the NBA Finals. A successful season indeed. But last season is in the past, and there has been shocking developments in the NBA landscape since the end of the season. The offseason officially kicked off at the end of June with the NBA Draft. Thanks to Masai Ujiris “Bargnani trade” a couple of seasons ago, the Raptors had the number 9 overall pick via the New York Knicks/Denver Nuggets, and their own 1st round selection which was 27th overall.

Leading up to the draft, there were a number of reports and rumors as to who the Raptors were going to select with their 9th overall pick. Most Raptors fans had settled on the idea of drafting Domantas Sabonis the power forward from Lithuania who most recently played for Gonzaga in the NCAA. Sabonis was probably one of the most skilled bigs coming out of the draft, but of course, Masai Ujiri had other ideas and instead elected to draft the center Jakob Poeltl out of Utah with the 9th selection.

Overall, this pick seems to be somewhat unpopular with Raptors fans for a couple different reasons. First of all, by drafting Poeltl, this clearly signaled the end to Bismack Biyombo’s time in Toronto. Realistically though, the Raptors would not have been able to bring Biyombo back under the salary cap with what he is now scheduled to make in Orlando (72 million dollars reportedly). So in this sense, drafting Poeltl made sense to fill this role. Another reason why this pick was somewhat unpopular, was because the Raptors failed to address their biggest need on their roster in the power forward position. This is a valid concern, but drafting for need over best available talent isn’t something I am generally a fan of (Ex - Ross over Drummond). While many Raptors fans would argue that Sabonis was the best player available at the 9 spot, advanced stats tell somewhat of a different story. For example, ESPN put out a great article (http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/119567/a-guide-for-espns-nba-draft-projection-model) that discussed prospects coming out of the draft. They concluded that Poeltl had a great chance to be one of the best bigs drafted with the lowest amount of risk associated with him. If we consider analytic’s, Poeltl certainly was a worthy pick at 9 overall. The Raptors then went on to draft Pascal Siakam who most recently played for New Mexico state. Siakam was a bit of an unknown coming out of the draft as he played for a smaller school in New Mexico State. At the next level, Siakam projects to be an energy big who looks to be a good rebounder and a gritty shot blocker as he averaged 11.6 rebounds per game and 2.2 blocks per game in college. We’ll get to see both the rookies play when the Vegas summer league kicks off on July 10th.

Well, that’s it for now folks. Check back in as the offseason continues to unfold for the Raptors over the upcoming weeks!

[torontoraptorsblog]

DeRozan the Canadian? Not quite.

[torontoraptorsblog]

Raptors Off-Season Update

Hey Raptors fans, welcome back for another Raptors related blog post.

Well, the off-season so far has been a busy one for general manager Masai Ujiri. It all started about a week ago when Kyle Lowry re-signed with the Raptors. His deal is reportedly worth 48 million dollars over 4 seasons. Now, I've heard Raptors fans whine and complain that this is far too big of a contract to be offering an injury prone, 28 year old point guard. Lowry absolutely deserved this contract though, and if he can stay healthy, I will go out on a limb and say that Lowry will go down as the best point guard to have ever suited up for the Raptors thus far in franchise history. The thing that is interesting about Lowry's contract is the fact that he can opt out after the 3rd season and become an unrestricted free agent. This will give Lowry the incentive to play hard so he can secure one last contract before he starts to consider retiring. Lowry averaged a career high 17.9 ppg, 7.4 apg and 4.7 rpg.

The next big acquisition happened when Ujiri shipped out John Salmon's and his huge expiring contract for Lou Williams and Lucas Nogueira. This was another net positive addition for the Raptors as they acquired another proven scorer to shore up their bench. Williams suffered a knee injury last season which seemed to slow him down. While Lou Williams lacked the same explosiveness as he did during his days in Philadelphia, he still proved that he can contribute to a winning team with the Hawks last season. Williams averaged 10.4 ppg and 3.5 apg. Lucas Nogueira is a bit of an unknown in this trade. Nogueira was selected 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in last years draft and spent the season playing in the ACB in Spain. His year was riddled with injuries to his knees which is never good for a young big man. On the bright side, he did win the defensive player of the year, and his defensive potential is undeniable. He is also from Brazil, so he can hopefully build some good chemistry with the Raptors 20th overall selection in this years draft in Bruno Caboclo. 

Following the Salmons trade, the Raptors signed Patrick Patterson to a 3 year deal worth right around 18 million dollars. Patterson really proved last season that he can be a lights out shooter, and "stretch 4's" are hard to come by in the NBA. Patterson is still young enough where he will continue to develop his game. Patterson is also a good insurance policy to have, just in case Amir Johnson gets hurt. Patrick Patterson could eventually even supplant Amir Johnson in the starting lineup if things go his way. Patterson averaged 8.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Grievis Vasquez also announced that he will be returning to the Raptors on a 2 year deal worth 13 million dollars. Last season, Vasquez really proved that he was one of the best bench guards in the league. He is versatile enough with his length to either play point guard or the shooting guard positions. It is also rumored that Vasquez will be a big recruiter in the 2016 Kevin Durant sweep stakes. Vasquez posted 9.6 ppg and 4.1 apg last season. James Johnson was the most recent addition to the Raptors signing a 2 year deal worth 5 million dollars. Johnson played for the Raptors a couple of seasons ago and his play was quite sporadic. Johnson would often try to play out of his role by launching undisciplined jump shots. If Johnson can stay within his role this season and simply play good defense, the Raptors would have a steal with this signing.  

Overall, this is the roster heading into next season:

C: Jonas Valanciunas | Chuck Hayes | Lucas Nogueira PF: Amir Johnson | Patrick Patterson | Tyler Hansbrough SF: Terrence Ross | James Johnson | Bruno Caboclo SG: DeMar DeRozan | Lou Williams | Landry Fields PG: Kyle Lowry | Greivis Vasquez

[torontoraptorsblog]

Raptors ship Salmons to Atlanta

The Toronto Raptors have traded SF John Salmons to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Lou Williams and Lucas (bebe) Nogueira. The Hawks will only have to pay 1 million dollars of Salmons 7 million dollar salary if he is waived by Monday. The Raptors shore up their bench with combo guard Lou Williams who didn't have a great year in Atlanta last season posting averages of 10.4 ppg, 3.5 apg on 40% shooting with a PER of 14.24. The real prize in this trade for the Raptors seems to be Lucas Nogueira who was the 16th overall pick in last years draft.

[torontoraptorsblog]

Raptors Post Draft Analysis

Hey there Raptors fans, welcome back for another Raptors blog post!

So the 2014 NBA draft was last night, and there were quite a few surprise picks during the first round. Aaron Gordon was selected 4th by Orlando which many experts would call a bit of a reach. Kyle Anderson slipped all the way down to the Spurs at 30 which very few people saw coming. Without a doubt though, the biggest surprise in the draft came at the 20th overall selection by the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors had a wide variety of talent to choose from like Rodney Hood, Clint Capela and Jarnell Stokes. Instead, general manager Masai Ujiri decided to shock everyone and select Bruno Caboclo, the small forward from Brazil.

Bruno Caboclo is the youngest player in the entire NBA draft at 18 years old. When looking at his stats from the Brazilian league he played in, they are pretty underwhelming. In 20 international games played, Caboclo averaged 5.15 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.25 apg in a meager 13 minutes per game. There are some positives about his game though. Caboclo shot the ball well at almost 51% during the games he played. He also shot the ball well from 3 point range at 39.3%. Caboclo also measures extremely well for either forward position. Caboclo measured in at 6'9" with an incredible 7'7" wingspan. Overall, very little is known about Bruno Caboclo. When examining his game though, he is a lot more NBA ready than people might think. The most important thing for Caboclo is the development program that the Raptors put him in. If he dedicates himself to working hard everyday, there is no reason why Caboclo can't be a very good NBA player. Right now, it is very hard to predict Caboclo's ceiling. If everything goes right in his development, I would peg him as a Nicolas Batum type of player which would be a steal for the Raptors.

The Raptors also selected DeAndre Daniels with the 37th pick in the draft. The 22 year old DeAndre Daniels looks to be another athletic player with some upside left in his game. Daniels weighed in at 200 pounds and measured in at 6'9" with a 7'+" wingspan. It is absolutely integral for Daniels to put on weight for him to survive in the NBA. Daniels does posses the ability to shoot the ball. He shot the ball at 42% from 3 point range last season. Daniels could turn into an intriguing pick and pop type of player in the mold of a Dorrell Wright, but he must put on more weight. 

Overall Draft Grade: B

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Projecting the Raptors Big Board

Hey Raptors fans, welcome back for another blog post!

With the NBA draft only a few days away, I thought it would be fun to try to predict who the Raptors have on the top of their list for the 20th overall selection in the draft.

If I had to guess based on what I've been hearing, this is what the top 3 on theRaptors draft board might look like:

1.) PF Jarnell Stokes - The Raptors have had Jarnell Stokes in for multiple workouts, and they have gotten to know him over an interview. This could perhaps be a bit of a reach as Stokes is slated to go late first round to early second round in most mock drafts. Stokes certainly has some NBA ready skills however. Stokes was an absolute monster on the glass in college as he averaged 10.6 rebounds per game in his final year of college basketball. While Stokes is undersized for the power forward position (6'8"), he makes up for it with his body. Jarnell Stokes was probably one of the strongest players in college last season as his forte was his physical play in the paint. Stokes is not an exceptional defender, but has the physical tools to compete on the defensive end. He didn't show many flashes of a jump shot in college, but according to him, he has been working on this aspect of his game. It is also interesting to note that at the last workout Stokes attended with the Raptors, he was often matched up with Adreian Payne who is seen as a much higher rated prospect than Stokes. It was reported that Stokes absolutely outperformed Payne, and during the post workout media scrum, Payne said his workout "Wasn't the best".

Worst Case NBA Comparison: Kris Humphries

Best Case NBA Comparison: David West

2.) PG Tyler Ennis - The Canadian point guard from Syracuse was once slotted as a lottery pick in this strong upcoming NBA draft. Most experts believe that Ennis has slipped quite a bit on most NBA big boards because he has struggled in his workouts with teams. Athleticism is something everyone knew Ennis did not excel at, and it is on full display for NBA teams to see at these workouts. Ennis does however posses a variety of great NBA skills. First of all, it is difficult to ignore his outstanding passing ability. He posted averages of 5.5 assists per game while only turning the ball over 1.7 times per game during his freshman year at Syracuse. Ennis was also very crafty on the defensive end as he averaged 2.1 steals per game. Now, many scouts attribute his steals to the type of defense Syracuse plays, but it is clear that Ennis still has the instincts and anticipation on the defensive end. Ennis wasn't a great scorer in college as he averaged 12.9 ppg on 41% shooting. He did manage to connect on 35% from 3-point range, so the potential is there to improve.

Worst Case NBA Comparison: George Hill

Best Case NBA Comparison: Mike Bibby

3.) C/PF Clint Capela - Clint Capela has established himself as one of the best European prospects in this draft. What immediately jumps out about Capela is his athleticism. Capela is an explosive finisher around the rim, and he also does well running in the transition game. Capela is above average in the pick and roll game, and just generally excels when he is close to the basket. Defensively, Capela has a knack for blocking shots with ease, and should only get better at this as he learns the NBA game. One of the problems with Capela's game is his total lack of a jump shot. He also is a poor free throw shooter, so his shot mechanics need a lot of work. There have been reports that Capela is mentally weak, so having a strong willed coach to motivate him to reach his potential seems key.

Worst Case NBA Comparison: Stromile Swift

Best Case NBA Comparison: Deandre Jordan

[torontoraptorsblog]

Monday Afternoon Rant

Hey there Raptors fans, welcome back for a slightly off-topic blog post!

So San Antonio just made quick work of the heat beating them in 5 games. Lebron James basically got no help all series but people are still putting all of the blame on him even though he averaged 28 ppg on 57% shooting. But this blog post has nothing to do with the heat.

With San Antonio's finals victory, Tim Duncan secured his 5th championship, all of which came with the Spurs. The media has really been pushing their agenda of having Tim Duncan retire on top. Now this is certainly possible as Tim Duncan is 38 years old, and it would be nice for him to finish his career as a champion. The fact of the matter is that Tim Duncan clearly still has quite a bit left in the tank. Duncan averaged 15ppg and 9.7rpg while only playing in a meager 29.2 minutes per game. This is where my beef with the media starts. Do they realize that they are essentially trying to force one of the best big men of all time out of the game? Once Duncan is gone, that's it. We will no longer be able to watch him play, and he will no longer be able to play the game that he loves. On top of all this, there is absolutely no indication that San Antonio will drop off from this years performance. Both Manu Ginobili and Greg Popovich have confirmed they will be back next year, and finals MVP Kawhi Leonard is still under contract. If Duncan returns, there is no reason why the Spurs won't be able to defend their title.

The media needs to stop pushing this absurd agenda as losing one of the greatest big men of all time would be a serious loss to the NBA.

[torontoraptorsblog]

Valan - who?

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Looking Ahead to the Off-Season

Hi Raptors fans, and welcome back for another Raptors blog post.

I want to start off by thanking the fans this season. You all stepped up to the plate, especially during the playoffs where you routinely filled "Jurassic Park". The impact you made was not only felt by other die hard raptors fans, but the team itself.

While the Raptors first round exit was disappointing, it is important to remind ourselves that the Raptors were never supposed to even be in that position. After the Raptors traded Rudy Gay, it was a clear signal that management was looking ahead to the future, and the strong upcoming NBA draft. But something unexpected ended up happening. The team put all their ego's aside, and played as a cohesive unit. Kyle Lowry established himself as one of the premier point guards in the league, while DeMar DeRozan continued to improve and made his first ever all star appearance. The team finished with a franchise best 48 wins, and was one shot away from making the second round of the playoffs. While the Raptors had an amazing season, there is much work to be done in the off-season for General Manager Masai Ujiri.

The off-season really started when Masai Ujiri signed Dwane Casey to a new 3 year deal. While opinions on Casey vary, everyone can agree that this man gets his team to play hard for him, and that is really important moving forward with such a young team. The biggest elephant in the room is Kyle Lowry's unrestricted free agency status. Lowry is 28 years old, and has had some injury problems over the course of his career. Surprisingly, many Raptors fans are against signing Lowry to a reasonable contract. Ultimately, without Kyle Lowry, this team would be headed straight back into the draft lottery. Lowry will most likely command a deal worth between 10-12 million dollars per year ranging between 3-4 years. This would be similar to point guards like Ty Lawson and Rajon Rondo. Lowry is certainly in that conversation, and many would argue his impact is much more than either of those two point guards.

After locking up Lowry long term, the Raptors would then focus on restricted free agents Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson. While both of these guys were integral in the Raptors success this past season, the Raptors should not fall into the trap of overpaying either. Depending on who the Raptors select with the 20th pick in the NBA draft, it is possible that only one of these guys is on the roster next season with a rookie on a much cheaper rookie contract. It is important to note however that Vasquez went to high school with Kevin Durant, and he could be a key piece in recruiting him in 2016 when Durant hits free agency. 

Speaking of the NBA draft, there is a lot of anticipation as it draws closer. The consensus top 3 seem to be Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, and Jabari Parker. All of these players should be franchise changing if they live up to their potential. The Raptors find themselves out of the top 10 in this years draft with the 20th overall selection along with the 37th and 59th selections in the second round. At the end of year press conference, Ujiri stated that he wants to bring in a rim protecting centre, and a big athletic wing player. The draft is certainly a good way to address those needs. My top 5 players that I still think could be around at the 20th selection are:

SG: Zach Lavine (Tons of athleticism)

SF: Jeremi Grant (Athletic Specimen)

SF/PF: Kyle Anderson (Horrendous on defense, very gifted offensively)

PG: Tyler Ennis (Purest point guard in the draft)

C: Clint Capela (Boatload of defensive potential)

In the second round, the Raptors will probably look at players with tons of potential like Damien Inglis and Bogdan Bogdanovic.

We can also assume that Vince Carter will be making a return to the Raptors during free agency, as management has not made this much of a secret.

With the off-season looming, there is much work to be done with the Toronto Raptors, but the future is looking bright.

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Dwane Casey Extended

The Raptors have signed Casey to a new 3 year contract according to Doug Smith and Adrian Wojnarowski

[hoops-loop]

Heartbreaking scene in Toronto as Kyle Lowry misses the final shot and then collapses to the floor.  DeMar DeRozan quickly came to his aid, but you can tell K Low is hurting!

Hang your heads high guys, you’ll be back!

[thebasketballobsession-deactiva]

[jsdoit]

Great win last night. On the edge of my seat last night!!!!

[coldaswynter1]

RAPTORS WIN. RAPTORS WIN. RAPTORS WIN!!! Bringing it home strong for Wednesday’s game. #wethenorth #northernuprising #RTZ #letsgoraptors #playoffs #nba

[instanba]

#Raptors even the series with the #Nets with a 100-95 win over Brooklyn. #WeTheNorth #RTZ :: http://ift.tt/1f3xf06

[nbagifstory]

2Pat with the dunk in the Raptors’ 94-87 Game 1 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. (04/19/14)

[torontoraptorsblog]

Lets show them who the best basketball fans in the world are.

[torontoraptorsblog]

Brooklyn Vs. Toronto

Lets do this Toronto.