The Toronto Raptors spent large chunks of the 2021-22 offseason trying to pry Kevin Durant away from the jaws of the Brooklyn Nets. Just when it seemed like Durant was adamant about making the Nets get rid of him, all parties involved seemed to have called a truce.
A statement put out by GM Sean Marks claims that Durant is now on the same page with coach Steve Nash and owner Joe Tsai. Amid months of tense contract negotiations that led to dozens of Raptors trade rumors, Durant confirmed that he is staying in Brooklyn.
This is not good news for the Raptors. Missing out on a player of Durant’s stature, coupled with the fact that Toronto now has to watch a potential championship favorite in their own division reveal themselves, is not ideal. However, it shouldn’t be all doom and gloom in Canada.
The Raptors might not be getting Durant, but there are still reasons to come out of today feeling optimistic about Toronto’s season. Even without KD, they should still be on track for a very successful 2021-22 campaign as a result of the infrastructure they refused to gut.
Toronto Raptors: 3 reasons to be positive after Kevin Durant news.
3. A 48-win team is staying together
Any deal for Durant would have required the Raptors to give up half of their rotation in addition to draft control for the next four or five seasons. Toronto would be hard-pressed to blow up everything they have built in order to get one or two more seasons out of Durant.
The Raptors have one of the best starting lineups in the league. Consider that either Gary Trent Jr., a young guard who averaged 18 points per game with solid efficiency, or two-way dynamo OG Anunoby would be viewed as the weak link in that group. This team can win some big games without Durant.
The Toronto Raptors kept their team together.
While some trade-hungry fans compared this situation to that of Kawhi Leonard a few years ago, the main difference is that Durant would have required a much more substantial investment given his contract situation. Toronto would have to be gutted from the top down to get him.
Somehow, it took a lot of convincing for Nick Nurse and Masai Ujiri to sign off on a trade that has the potential to devastate the rotation. Crazy, I know. The Raptors played Brooklyn tough in the regular season last year, and 2022-23 will likely feature more of the same.
2. It’s Scottie Barnes time
Barnes was reportedly the biggest sticking point in Durant negotiations between Toronto and Brooklyn. The Nets didn’t want to trade someone like Durant without getting a long-term piece like Barnes in return, and Toronto didn’t want to give him up for a player as old and injury-prone as KD.
The fact that Toronto held their ground in a situation where many weaker-minded executives would have caved speaks to how highly they regard Barnes and his ability as a scorer and defender. Look for Scottie to improve upon his 15.3 points per game that he amassed as a rookie.
Toronto Raptors: Scottie Barnes is in for a big year.
Barnes has already been hard at work remaking his game as an all-around scorer, and the Raptors will likely give him every opportunity to showcase his stuff. Toronto has tied a big part of their future to Scottie alone, which is wise given how he performed.
Imagine, if you will, the horror of seeing Barnes in a black and white jersey for the next decade, putting together some All-Star appearances at the expense of a Raptors team who could have been saddled with an unsightly contract. Luckily, it seems like more cool, reasonable heads prevailed.
1. The Nets have some issues
When healthy, the Nets look like they’re going to be an absolute machine that takes over the title of the top contender in the Eastern Conference. However, given all of the issues that this roster very clearly has, the Raptors shouldn’t be so scared of their daunting rivals, irrespective of Durant’s status.
Irving, who can’t play in Toronto and has often struggled with availability and staying harmonious with the front office, remains the team’s co-star. Ben Simmons is a tremendous talent, but will he be the same after sitting out for the entire 2021-22 season? The lack of a rim protector could come back to bite Brooklyn as well.
The Toronto Raptors shouldn’t be too fearful of the Nets.
The Nets will be one of the best offensive teams in the league, but contenders like the Celtics have proven that they are a beatable defensive team thanks to their decision to let high-effort stoppers like Bruce Brown leave to add more shooters. Even the Raptors could give them problems.
The Raptors need to be worried about the Nets, but they shouldn’t waive a white flag and assume that Durant’s return signals the end of their division championship pursuit. Just a few wins away from earning the No. 2 seed last year despite numerous injuries, Toronto’s cohesion could overcome Brooklyn’s talent.