Toronto Raptors: Three reasons to watch
With the 2016-17 NBA season on the horizon, Paste BN Sports highlights the top three reasons to watch all 30 teams. We also recap any significant moves made in the offseason and project how your favorite team will finish.
Watchability ranking: 17th
What’s different? Forward Bismack Biyombo cashed in his sizable postseason run and signed a $72 million deal with the Orlando Magic. The Raptors signed Jared Sullinger in his place. It’s a helpful signing, though hardly a game changer.
Prove it was no fluke: Last season was the first time since 2001 that the Raptors advanced past the first round of the playoffs. There were nervous moments, as the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat each took the Raptors to seven games, but Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan were clutch. Neither was particularly efficient, but both deserve credit for dragging the Raptors to the doorstep of the NBA Finals. Can that pairing, coupled with the nucleus of DeMarre Carroll and Jonas Valanciunas, give the Cavs another run for their money?
The emergence of JV: If last year’s postseason was any indication, Valanciunas is destined for a monster season. Before an ankle injury interrupted his playoffs, he had logged six double-doubles in 10 games, looking at times unstoppable against the Pacers and the Heat. He could be pivotal come May.
The Carroll question: When the Raptors signed Carroll two summers ago, they envisioned getting a lock-down perimeter defender who could stretch the floor. Last season he played sporadically until the postseason while battling a lingering knee injury. His knee is still not 100%, and the Raptors will monitor his minutes accordingly. He said there was no longer swelling, a definite positive, but when, if ever, will his right knee be fully recovered?
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
(Statistics from 2015-16 season)
- Kyle Lowry - Points: 21.2, assists: 6.4, rebounds: 4.7, steals: 2.1, field goal percentage: 42.7%
- DeMar DeRozan - Points: 23.5, rebounds: 4.5, assists: 4.0, steals: 1.0, field goal percentage: 44.6%
- DeMarre Carroll (26 games played) - Points: 11.0, rebounds: 4.7, assists: 1.0, steals: 1.7, field goal percentage: 38.9%
- Jared Sullinger - Points: 10.3, rebounds: 8.3, assists: 2.3, blocks: 0.6, field goal percentage: 43.5%
- Jonas Valanciunas - Points: 12.8, rebounds: 9.1, assists: 0.7, blocks: 1.3, field goal percentage: 56.5%
How good can they be? It doesn’t feel as if the Raptors made any significant improvements, and we saw how thin their frontcourt could be when Valanciunas went down. They could drop off a little but still return to the conference finals.
Paste BN’s projection: 53-29
Follow Michael Singer on Twitter @MSinger