The Rap-Up: Lakers & T-Wolves & Bucks, Oh My

The Raptors’ schedule this week offers a sneak peek at some potential free agent targets.

It’s the penultimate edition of The Rap-Up as the Raptors schedule draws (mercifully) to its conclusion.

Toronto hasn’t had much to play for over the past month. “Wins & Lessons” was a short-lived mantra once injuries/absences to core players started piling up. What lessons could be learned when a rookie is the longest-tenured Raptor in the starting lineup? What’s Gary Trent Jr. learning when he doesn’t have Scottie Barnes driving and dishing or Jakob Poeltl setting hard screens on DHOs? What knowledge is Darko Rajakovic gaining when most of his current rotation will either be end-of-bench reserves or not with the Raptors next season?

I get it. Watching Raptors games (if you still are) has become a chore lately. With eyes shifting towards the off-season, it’s natural to start wondering how this roster will look in October. How will the draft lottery affect the outlook of the team? Has the GTJ discourse that’s see-sawed between “shooting guard of the future” to “shooting guard of another team’s future”, firmly landed on the former? What will the front office do with Bruce Brown’s valuable team option?

Most importantly, what will the Raptors do on the free-agent market?

The team needs shooting and depth across all positions (except Center). Let’s try to answer two questions from the previous paragraphs surrounding the watchability of these games and how the Raptors can utilize its cap space this Summer. The ‘fun fact’ section will be replaced with a ‘fun free agent’ the Raptors may target in July.

April 2 vs Los Angeles Lakers

Death. Taxes. LeBronto jokes.

It doesn’t matter that the Raptors have won a championship more recently than LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers or that the Lakers haven’t won in Toronto (in regulation) in over 10 years(!), LeBronto jokes will always make their way into the conversation whenever the King faces his nemeses from the north.

Bronny James has garnered the most attention any college player who averages 4.8 points has ever received. His father has publicly stated several times that he’d like to play with his son before he retires. While Bronny could benefit from another year at USC or a season in the G-League, the pressure of making the leap now is growing by the day.

The possibility of using an extra pick (or a low second) on Bronny seems very enticing if it means the G.O.A.T. could also join the team.

If only there was a team with multiple picks in the upcoming draft with a young, yet promising core in place. Is it too early to trademark, ToBronto?

Fun Free Agent that may only interest me (and the Raptors front office)

LeBron James is the easy answer here, but let’s not tease ourselves unless Toronto drafts Bronny. (Side note: if you thought the Shohei Ohtani to the Blue Jays frenzy was crazy last year, imagine what LeBron rumours would do to this city/country)

D’Angelo Russell was a hot name in the Raptors rumour mill this past trade deadline. Immanuel Quickley is the Point Guard of the present and future. Russell is probably too good/expensive to be the 6th man. But if Trent Jr. seeks greener pastures elsewhere, Russell’s shooting would be a sight for sore eyes.

Fun fact about Russell: his girlfriend’s family is from Oakville! (That’s why he was spotted playing at U of T last Summer)

Prediction

The returns of RJ Barrett and Quickley will provide a much-needed spark for a Raptors squad lacking all kinds of firepower. As of Tuesday morning, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both listed as questionable.

The current line, -12.5, will surely come down if one or both of the Lakers’ All-Stars miss tonight’s game at Scotiabank Arena. This is the first game of a back-to-back for Los Angeles before they travel to Washington. In other words, these two games are perfect opportunities for the Lakers to rest their stars before the upcoming play-in games (plural).

Toronto covers the +12.5 spread and….dare I say…..win the game!!!

April 3 @ Minnesota Timberwolves

At some point during this season, a switch flicked for the Timberwolves.

Maybe it happened in early February when Minnesota defeated Houston to climb 20 games above .500 and Chris Finch was announced as the Western Conference All-Star Head Coach.

Maybe it happened when Karl-Anthony Towns took 25% of field goal attempts for the West All-Stars, en route to becoming the 3rd player in All-Star history to drop 50 points.

Maybe it happened when Anthony Edwards replaced Yuta Watanabe with John Collins.

Regardless of when and how it happened, the switch officially flipped for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who will bring the #1 defense into the playoffs and a confidence that hasn’t been present since Kevin Garnett roamed the paint.

Fun Free Agent that may only interest me (and the Raptors front office)

With Thaddeus Young and Otto Porter Jr. traded, Garrett Temple’s contract expiring, Chris Boucher’s role diminishing, and Kelly Olynyk entrenched as one of Darko’s key reserves, the role of “30-year-old veteran who scores 5 points off the bench and is the most animated player on the sidelines” appears to be vacant next season.

Enter Kyle Anderson.

The 10-year veteran would have been perfect in the ‘Vision 6’9’ lineup of recent seasons. He’s a Point Guard trapped inside a Forward’s body and was once coined the “modern-day Magic Johnson.” Lost in all the 2023 FIBA World Cup news and naturalized players (looking at you, Bahamas) was that Anderson gained his Chinese citizenship (his mother is half-Chinese)! While China failed to qualify for this year’s Olympics, last Summer’s addition of “Slow Mo” was a welcome change to the national roster.

Prediction

The Raptors catch a bit of a break with Minnesota playing the second game of a back-to-back. The Timberwolves welcome Fred VanVleet and his red-hot Rockets tonight before playing Fred VanVleet’s former team, the ice-cold Raptors.

Unlike the Lakers, who have a fairly large injury list, the Timberwolves have a relatively cleaner report. Yes, they’re still without KAT, but Minnesota still has the NBA’s best defense, has won 7 of its last 9 games, and is only 1 game out of first in the West.

The spread will likely be larger than 10.5, even with Barrett and Quickley back in the lineup. Minnesota exacts revenge on a Raptors squad that beat them on Opening Day, covering the 10.5 spread.

April 5 @ Milwaukee Bucks

The good news for Bucks fans is that Milwaukee’s looking more comfortable with Doc Rivers as Head Coach and likely heading into the postseason as the #2 seed.

The bad news is that they could be facing a healthy Sixers or Heat squad in the first round!

The only thing funnier than Milwaukee being eliminated in the first round by Miami for a second consecutive season or a Doc Rivers-led club falling to Joel Embiid’s Sixers, is if Rivers also blows a 3-1 lead in the process!

Fun Free Agent that may only interest me (and the Raptors front office)

The Bucks have 4 free agents that Toronto could target this offseason. Danilo Gallinari could fill the aforementioned 30-year-old veteran opening. Jae Crowder cannot fill that role because he could actually contribute with rotation minutes. Pat Beverley would be the perfect “you hate him as an opponent but love him as a teammate” addition to the team. However, the apple of my eye (and likely Masai’s too) is Malik Beasley.

Toronto would, hypothetically, be his 6th team before turning 28 in November. He’s shooting a career-best 42.7% from three this season and signed a ridiculously team-friendly 1-year / $2.7 million contract last Summer. Even as a ‘bet-on-yourself’ deal, the pay hike he’ll command should still be within Toronto’s price range.

Fun fact: Beasley previously dated Larsa Pippen — ex-wife of Scottie Pippen and mother of Scotty Pippen Jr. Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Beasley and Pippen Jr. were teammates on the Lakers last season.

Prediction

Toronto has a good track record of games in Milwaukee. The Raptors have lost their last two visits to Fiserv Forum but won the previous five. Granted, this is a much different Toronto roster, but Milwaukee may see this game like the Lakers do: an opportunity to rest stars before a gruelling playoff season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton have all appeared on the injury report recently.

Ultimately, two factors will determine this outcome: the Bucks having one of the best home records in the league (29-8), and their ability to score at the rim.

Milwaukee has won all but one of their home games since the All-Star break (last week’s double-OT thriller against the Lakers). During that span, they’ve defeated the Hornets by 48 (impressive, regardless of opponent), dropped 140 on the Suns, and beat the Thunder by 25(!).

The Bucks rank 2nd in scoring efficiency at the rim (71.3% eFG), while the Raptors rank 28th defensively (and missing its starting Center).

Milwaukee easily covers the +9.5 spread.

April 7 vs Washington Wizards

After playing 3 tough games against playoff-bound teams, the Raptors play a Washington team with different stakes on the line.

The Wizards are currently 1 game ahead of Pistons in the overall standings — or 1 game behind them in the draft lottery standings. A quick reminder that Toronto owns Detroit’s second-round pick. Unlike the first round, where the lottery determines the order of the first four picks, the second round is based on the final standings.

Losing to Washington would increase Toronto’s odds of getting the 31st pick in the draft. However, it would be quite the gut punch to the paying customers of Scotiabank Arena, especially because this would be the second-to-last home game of the season.

Fun Free Agent that may only interest me (and the Raptors front office)

Quickley and Trent Jr. may have the guard positions locked up for the foreseeable future, but the team can address their glaring needs of shooting and depth if they can sign Tyus Jones.

The 9-year veteran is wrapping up his best season with career-highs across the board and, notably, excellent shooting splits (49/41/80). Jones was mostly a reserve guard during his 8 seasons with Minnesota and Memphis but has proven himself as a more-than-capable starting Point Guard with Washington.

Fun fact about Tyus: he’s a 3-time gold medallist, having played for Team USA’s U16, U17, and U18 teams. Take THAT, Dennis Schroder!

Prediction

The moral dilemma mentioned above regarding Washington’s record and Toronto’s draft position in the second round may have already worked itself out.

Two weeks ago, the Wizards inexplicably won three games in a row — including a victory over the Raptors. That season-best win streak, along with a Friday home game against the equally putrid Portland Trailblazers, may be enough to solidify Washington as the second-worst team in the league and firm up Toronto’s position at the top of the second round of the draft.

The Raptors cover the -1.5 spread and give Toronto fans something to smile about — a rarity in this moribund season.

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Last Week: 3-0

Season Record: 49-25 (5-1 against the spread)