The Raptors were expected to swoon when Kyle Lowry needed surgery. Instead they have fared well, fueling high hopes for the team upon his return. How high should those hopes be?
The Toronto Raptors have been the recipient of considerable sports-media attention lately. One of the more compelling stories is in The Ringer, and takes a long look at the same topic we discussed recently, namely, what to do about all those free agents.
All of us who follow the Raptors have one common goal: to see our team win an NBA championship. The days of “Gee, I hope we can scrape into the playoffs” are long gone. As Paul Pierce said after winning both playoff games in Toronto in 2015, we’re greedy now.
How close is the current group (assuming it can be retained) to winning it all? Are we two years away? In 2019 LeBron James will be 34. Surely he and his Cleveland Cavaliers will be on a downturn. They can’t go years without a top draft pick and retain their stranglehold on the East’s top spot, can they?
The Boston Celtics are loaded with C+ to A- players (Isaiah Thomas is an astonishing offensive force, though he gives back a lot of points the other way), but don’t have a transcendent star to lean on.
Washington has a pair of Wizards in their backcourt with Bradley Beal and John Wall, but they too are defensively challenged.
If there’s another team to be considered a championship threat in the Eastern Conference, they are well-hidden.
All season, we’ve been under the impression that the Raptors are strong enough to enjoy a deep playoff run, though not capable of winning the East. “Management is building a strong foundation for the future – be patient.” However, fans’ patience may not be rewarded, as the free-agent situation could roil the roster.
The future is…Now?
One of sports’ greatest pleasures is its unpredictability. Two signal events occurred recently which may have accelerated the Raptors’ plans. First, President/GM Masai Ujiri traded for Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker, both of whom have effected immediate and positive change. Second, the Cleveland Cavaliers have shocked the NBA by forgetting how to defend. Before being defeated by the Chicago Bulls on February 25, the defending champions were 24 games over .500. Today, they are 21 over; they won as many games (7) in March as Brooklyn.
The Raptors are only two games behind the Cavs in the win column, with Boston momentarily in top spot. Toronto has been able to withstand the lengthy absence of Kyle Lowry. Our team will only get stronger upon his return, which may well be before the season closes in mid-April.
I’ve written for months that this is not our year – I hereby take that back. Masai made some wonderful moves to improve the team, and our opponents are strong but not invincible.
The time may have arrived for greediness.
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