3 areas where the Raptors are vastly improved in 2022-23
By Mike Luciano
2. Interior depth
The Raptors are committed to getting as many 6-7 to 6-9 players as possible in order to construct the most defensively versatile team possible. That doesn’t mean they neglected the interior, as Nick Nurse was well aware of the challenges this roster faced in the postseason on defense.
The Young signing was integral, as his unique style of play will improve Toronto’s rebounding and interior defense. The selection of Koloko in the draft could be vital for this team, as he has the wherewithal to become a quality starter in this league who easily swats shots away.
The Toronto Raptors got bigger this offseason.
Even Toronto’s non-guaranteed deals have the potential to become standout backups. DJ Wilson had some nice moments last year, and Juancho Hernangomez has shown his quality as a perimeter scorer several times over in the NBA. That’s quite the robust collection of players for Toronto to lean on.
Precious Achiuwa and Pascal Siakam are both amazing at what they do (especially the latter), but leaning on those two and asking them to do yeoman’s work in the paint is a one-way ticket to overworking them. If Koloko, the re-signed veterans, and the non-guaranteed players do their job, the Raptors may perform better in April and May.