Toronto Raptors: Pros and cons of making the playoffs in 2020-21
By Matthew Chiu
Con: Being stuck in mediocrity
Being stuck in mediocrity is the worst thing a franchise can be in. Constantly teetering around the 7-10 seed and getting killed round 1, while also not getting a top 10 pick is something teams like the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons know all too well.
From 2015-2019, the Pistons” best season was 44-38, with their worst season at 37-45. They had 2 playoff appearances and 0 playoff wins in those 4 years. They’ve since come to their senses and made big moves such as trading Andre Drummond and buying out Blake Griffin. They’re now a front-runner for the No. 1 pick.
The Toronto Raptors can’t end up like the Pistons or Magic.
The Orlando Magic are also a team that has recently committed to a tank after being stuck in mediocrity for the last 2 years. Following back-to-back first-round exits with a total of one playoff win, they have committed to the tank by trading All-Star big Nikola Vucevic. Just like the Pistons, They’re also a front-runner for the No. 1 pick.
Masai Ujiri hasn’t been shy about sharing his thoughts on tanking in the past. In a 2013 interview following the Rudy Gay trade, Ujiri insinuated he wanted to tank when he said “We know we will not be trapped in the middle.”
Ujiri suddenly deciding that he is OK with that would be a huge reversal in terms of his attitude towards tanking, and Ujiri likely won’t change his whole philosophy off of one season.