No Excuses: Toronto Raptors set high goals for next season

The Toronto Raptors held end of season player availability on Monday.

With the Toronto Raptors season coming to an end over the weekend, the team held “locker clean out” availability, or exit interviews! These will continue throughout the week, with the players on Monday, Darko Rajakovic on Tuesday, and Masai Ujiri on Wednesday.

Many of the players were available to speak today. They themselves came in to have their final meetings with Darko Rajakovic and a final team meeting. After today, the team will be able to leave the city and have a real break before coming back to do some work outs in May.

Brandon Ingram

First up on the podium was Brandon Ingram. He said that his ankle was feeling better and trending upwards, yet he was stuck feeling a bit of agitation. The platelet rich plasma injection he received last week helped him to be continue trend upward. The hope is that he will be able to work out with the team when they return in May.

When it came to what he learned being around the team since he was traded, being unable to play, his first thought was admiration for the organization. He liked being able to keep his teammate accountable as someone observing from the sidelines, and he has spent the time learning more about himself as well. He’s been able to learn what motivates them and get to know them on a purely personal level. Though he isn’t able to build on-court chemistry with his teammates he was able to build that personal chemistry.

As for the coaching staff, Ingram says they have been in constant communication with him. What they eventually want to see from him on the court, how they envision his role to play out, the plans they have for him once he is healthy.

Scottie Barnes

Scottie Barnes started his availability by taking a moment to thank the fans for the dedication they had over the season. He went on to talk about the trust and pride he has in the team’s young core, talking about how he thinks they could be a playoff team next season. He also knows that once the wins start coming in for the team, things like All-Defensive team nods are going to start coming in as well.

This summer, Barnes wants to work on his consistency — especially with shooting. He mentioned his hand is still giving him a little bit of trouble when it comes to being able to grip the ball properly.

As for the team as a whole, he commented on how close everyone is, that they have built “genuine friendships” with each other. He says it makes it easier to lead because he knows who these guys are as people and they have a genuine relationship and desire to see each other succeed.

Barnes has also grown exponentially as a leader this season. One thing he really wanted to improve on was his public speaking efforts, so he was able to get one-on-one guidance with someone in order to build those skills. He wanted to be a better communicator so he could connect with people (teammates, coaches, even fans), but also to be more comfortable getting his message out when he did speak. By knowing what he was talking about and knowing how he wanted to say certain things, he knew there would be less “agendas” about the words he said and his words would be clearly interpreted.

Barnes also commented on the rookie class this season, saying he trusts Ujiri and Webster’s vision for the team. They were better than the average rookie class, in his opinion.

Gradey Dick

The sophomore player’s season ended early due to injury, but he was in good spirits on the podium. He reflected on how fast it feels like his first two seasons have flown by. He is expected to be able to join the team for workouts starting in May, and will take some time off and go home to Kansas.

He’s also excited to go to Caribana this summer, so true king.

Jamal Shead

Jamal Shead was definitely one of the most surprising rookie cases all season. Drafted at No. 45 after the Raptors traded for the pick, Shead came in not lacking skill but also not lacking leadership and communication skills. He seemed to be the glue that really made the rookies bond this season, helping them get out of their shells and bond with the other players.

His past of being put in team situations where he needed to learn public speaking skills and be a leader also helped him through his rookie season. He understands that everyone around him is just a person like he is. That reminds him to be mindful when speaking to referees or media members.

Overall he seems excited for what’s ahead and ready to take a leap in year two.

RJ Barrett

RJ Barrett is ready for a break, and a deserved one. He’s been playing year-round for a few years with the World Cup, NBA seasons, and the Olympics last year. Add in a tough personal year for him and his family, and yeah, he needs a break for sure.

One positive for Barrett this season has been playing in front of the fans, and at home. He feels like he is living out childhood dreams whenever he hears his name called out at Scotiabank Arena. He also had to adapt as a player quite a lot this season, having the ball in his hands a lot more and being a leader.

He’s excited for the team to take a leap next season as well. He knows the young core can make some moves and is confident in the other pieces of the team that can improve.

It seems to be only up from here for the Raptors.