Raptors issues that must be addressed during preseason

The Toronto Raptors officially begin their preseason schedule of games tonight in Hawaii. Raptors Rapture examines some key issues that the Raptors must address in these upcoming preseason games.

The Raptors officially begin their preseason games tonight in Hawaii and will finally face a real live opponent in the Los Angeles Clippers.

Many will say that preseason games are meaningless but for the Raptors these games can be a valuable opportunity to answer some of the lingering questions from the offseason.

Here are just a few key issues that the Raptors must address in the next five preseason games before the regular season starts Oct 19.

The need to establish a clear cut starter at small forward.

The small forward position has been a lingering question for the Raptors all throughout the offseason. Will Norman Powell finally get an opportunity to be a full-time starter or will newly acquired CJ Miles be the guy with the first unit?

KJ McDaniels was a free agent pick up during the summer and he too has impressed in training camp and during the teams intra-squad game in Victoria, BC.

All three players (and then some) will get an opportunity to prove he can be the starter but one of these guys must assert himself as the clear cut starter.

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If the Raptors are still searching for the right guy at this position come December it could create even bigger issues moving forward.

Regardless of who it is, the real slim shady must please stand up.

Develop chemistry amongst the starting five.

One of the biggest narratives during the offseason was how Kyle Lowry missed 21 games straight games due to injury down the stretch and how the team didn’t really get a chance to develop the chemistry needed to advance further in the playoffs.

Serge Ibaka was given a pass during his initial run of games as a Raptor because he didn’t really have Lowry in the line up to distribute the ball and the lead the team on the floor.  Everybody seemed to suffer with Lowry out of the line up.

They can no longer use that excuse.

The starting five doesn’t need to look like the Showtime Lakers during these five preseason games but they have to show some sort of cohesion as a unit.

It took Golden State a while to figure out how to include Kevin Durant last season but once they got going it was unstoppable.

The Raptors need to figure out how they are going to include Ibaka while keeping everybody else happy as well.

Give the young guys a real look.

The Raptors have some real battles going on for some back up spots at every position on the floor. We’ve been hearing all summer from both Dwane Casey and Masai Ujiri that Bruno Caboclo has been improving so lets make sure he gets a decent look so we can see something out of him.

The team signed free agents Kennedy Meeks, KJ McDaniels, Alfonzo McKinnie and Malcolm Miller during the offseason so lets see if any of these guys can be something more than a good G League player.

Give these guys an opportunity or don’t bother bringing them in.

Regardless of the doom and gloom offseason predictions for the Toronto Raptors by the American media the team still has an elite core group of players who are proven winners in the NBA.

Next: Holding training camp 3000 KM away a good decision.

The team is in an excellent situation because their core of stars already has an established familiarity with each other while their competitors in the East in Boston and Cleveland are still trying to find out how their offseason additions will gel with each other.

Win or lose, lets hope the Raptors have more answers coming out the preseason instead of questions.