A Moment for Optimism for the Toronto Raptors

Are things really that bad? Let’s discuss…

Since letting Fred VanVleet walk to the Houston Rockets and dealing OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam to the Knicks and Pacers respectively, there has been a lot of negative vibes around the Toronto Raptors organization. Like, a lot. Losing tends to do that.

Those vibes began to pile a little high for my liking, so I think there’s cause to ring a bell of optimism to remind Raptors’ fans that things, as a matter of fact, aren’t that bad and could, for a definite matter of fact, be much, much worse. Have you ever heard of the Detroit Pistons, per chance? Let’s dive into a tidy little “Top Reasons to be Optimistic as a Raptors fan”, shall we?

Scottie Barnes

Yes, it absolutely hurts when your team trades or loses beloved players to free agency. Players like Fred, OG and Pascal were cultural cornerstones in Toronto and fan favourites to boot. Want some optimism in the aftermath of losing those players? Look no further than Scottie’s development last year before losing the remainder of his season to a broken left hand.

Not only did he raise his overall counting numbers — increases in all of PPG, RPG, APG, BPG, SPG — but he also raised his efficiency as well. Barnes was taking more shots from 2, 3 and the free throw line and hitting at a better clip across the board.

Even further, Scottie’s injury absolutely demolished the team. How can that be a good thing, you might ask? Well, Toronto did the right thing and bottomed out accordingly, even if it did miss out on the draft balls falling in their favour.

Developing Chemistry

The midseason trade of OG Anunoby for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley was met with mixed emotion. Some were thrilled to see the oft-injured Anunoby traded while others, like yours truly, were glum, as OG was an absolute wrecking ball on the court when he was on it.

Both camps of folks found optimism in the return package, as, RJ came out like gangbusters in his comfortable red and whites.

Quickley took some time, but becoming a lead ball handler for the first time on a new team that is still developing its identity is no picnic. Where’s the moment for optimism here? Like Scottie, Quickley’s counting stats ballooned with the extra minutes and responsibility — though his efficiency spike wasn’t quite as sharp. RJ’s numbers, too shot up, though he seemingly forgot how to shoot free throws, like the rest of last year’s Raptors squad.

Both of those players will have more time over the summer and into the early portions of the season to develop further chemistry with their team and build on what could be an intriguing, young starting five.

Trade Pieces

You know what, if all, or even some of the above doesn’t pan out how the Raptors front office would like it to, there’s always a soft-reset button available. Masai Ujiri, as noted time and time again, is no fan of a full tear-down, so look for Ujiri and Bobby Webster — armed with many picks this year and next year’s pick thanks to the conveying to San Antonio this season — to find some value on the fringes for guys like Bruce Brown, Jakob Poeltl and Gary Trent Jr..

Though each of them have skillsets that the Raptors desperately need — shooting especially, in Trent Jr.’s case — they’re likely seen as expendable pieces that either haven’t fit as well as the team would have liked, or, are a bit beyond this team’s window of contention.