The Toronto Raptors are on the outside looking in of the playoffs for the first time in a long time. It’s going to be a long, yet exciting offseason for the Raptors as they try and make the necessary moves to bring this group back to contention. Could Bradley Beal be included in that ambitious plan?
This season was more of an anomaly than anything as COVID-19 ravaged this organization in more ways than one. Moving the whole team down to Tampa and more than half the team contracting coronavirus had huge effects on this group physically and mentally.
Changes are imminent though, and it sounds like Masai Ujiri’s return is dependant on ownership giving him carte blanche to do whatever it takes to get this roster back into championship form. Raptors fans know that Ujiri is a mover and shaker and he can take this organization in the right direction, but that is going to cost money and takes some bold moves.
One of those moves could include Beal, who is putting legendary numbers on a Washington Wizards team that is smack dab in that dreaded gray area of not being good enough to compete for a title, yet not bad enough to fully rebuild.
“There's been times where I’m amazed, there’s four people guarding him like it’s a high-school basketball game," @DrewGooden said.
— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) May 18, 2021
Bradley Beal is a historically great scorer whose luster has been clouded by trade rumors and losing. That needs to change: https://t.co/3Y5tBRm5aX
Another question that will have a big effect on this roster is the future of Kyle Lowry. Lowry and the Raptors are holding their cards close to their chests when it comes to both parties desire for a reunion.
Let’s take a way too early look at what the Toronto Raptors’ starting lineup could look like in 2021-2022, assuming that Ujiri comes back and is feeling frisky enough to pull off a trade like the Kawhi Leonard deal once again.