Off Season Check-In: Brat Summer Continues for our Raptors

We are in the dog days of the NBA off-season, and players are getting a good mix of work and play in. Where in the world are the Toronto Raptors?

It’s Brat Summmmeeerrr!

August is one of the weirdest months in the NBA Calendar. Nothing really happens, unless something big happens. For the past few years we have had one big superstar request a trade, and that takes over the news cycle for the summer. It also helps that the Raptors have usually swirled within those trade rumours.

This year, there has not been any of that. Sure, we had the Olympics, but Canada’s tournament was cut short — plus no other Raptors were on Olympic teams. We are slowly getting news about the Toronto Raptors 30th anniversary celebrations, which is fun but not really related to on-court action.

So, what have the Raptors been doing? Let’s check in with a few of the Toronto Raptors to see how they are spending their Brat Summer.

Scottie Barnes

Our boy Scott is growing up! The Raptors star celebrated his 23rd birthday this month, in part by posting a photoshoot to his instagram where he is decked out with a diamond grill. It seems like Scottie is getting a good mix of work and play in this summer, as he travels around and joins in on some pro-runs.

Barnes will also have a buddy by his side on the roster this year, as the Raptors drafted his childhood friend Jonathan Mogbo. It seems like the two have been crossing paths over the summer in preparation for being teammates again.

He also held his second annual Scottie Barnes Summer Camp, a basketball camp for youth in Toronto. He held it at the University of Toronto campus in Mississauga, with both boys and girls programs. Kinda wish he had a summer camp program for us 28 year olds wanting to learn ball skills…

Either way, it seems like Scottie is healing well from the hand injury that took him out of the end of last season. With his contract extension settled and eyes on the future, we can all rest assured knowing Scottie is a Raptor long-term, and focus on building.

RJ Barrett

Our hometown kid, RJ Barrett, has had a busy summer. He was on the clock to represent Canada at the Paris Olympics, and his play there was a great indicator of how he may look next season. While the result for Canada was unfortunate, with them losing in the quarter final against France, Barrett in particular looked great.

In the opening game against Greece, Barrett led Canada with 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field. He followed that up with a 24 point performance against Australia, shooting 8-for-14 from the field that time, but 5-for-8 from three point range. He cooled off a little against Spain, but still scored 16 points and made 5 three point shots.

He continues to look confident out there on the court, using his physicality to benefit him on drives and being efficient.

As for the personal side of his summer, RJ is particularly quiet on social media — but we can assume he probably had a nice time traveling to Paris! Hope he can enjoy a bit of his offseason now.

Immanuel Quickley

After signing his contract and making some big bucks, the newest longterm Raptor, Immanuel Quickley, has been enjoying his Brat Summer.

He headed to Johannesburg, South Africa along with Coach Darko to help lead a Basketball Without Borders workshop with NBA Africa. He held meet and greets, led some camp activities, and got to see his jersey at the NBA store.

He’s now in Spain with some of the younger Raptors players at The Sanctuary — an NBA retreat. There players can get some runs in with other NBA players, relax a bit, and just get away from the hustle. It seems like a nice place to have a working vacation!

Quickley posted a picture on his instagram story of him lounging at the retreat center with a book, so it seems our PG is fuelling up for the season ahead.

Gradey Dick

Not the new kid anymore! Gradey Dick has been enjoying his first full summer as an NBA pro, seemingly getting in work while also getting some time off. He even had time to post a picture with a fish on his instagram — a right of passage for 20 year olds.

Of course, he had to get in some basketball as well — heading to NBA Summer League in Vegas. He got some run time with the new Raptors rookies, and some familiar faces. He also joined Immanuel Quickley in Spain at The Sanctuary.

He also made sure to stop by Caribana in Toronto again this year, of course. Gradey will be back in his home state of Kansas this week to hold his first youth basketball camp.

It seems like he’s been keeping busy this summer!

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We will probably see the Raptors slowly make their way back to Toronto over the next few weeks as ramp-up begins for the season. It’s already nearly that time!

Training camp will be held in Montreal this year from October 1st-5th, ending with a preseason game against the Washington Wizards on October 6th. They will then play four more preseason games ahead of the start of the 2024-25 regular season.

The team also announced their Emirates NBA Cup Schedule (aka the In Season Tournament), which will see them face Milwaukee, Detroit, Miami and Indiana.

Expect the official regular season schedule to drop soon as well! Of course, we can’t forget that this year will also be packed with celebrations for the Toronto Raptors 30th anniversary.

It’s going to be a fun year, but for now, we will continue enjoying our Brat Summer.