The Toronto Raptors have decided to run it back and not upset the apple cart too much this offseason. Considering how successful their 2021-22 season was, changing a team that won 48 games despite some issues in roster construction makes a ton of sense.
The only issue that the Raptors may face is an Eastern Conference that is much improved. The Hawks and Cavaliers announced that they are not to be taken lightly after trading for Dejounte Murray and Donovan Mitchell, respectively. Many of the teams who finished above Toronto last year had good offseasons.
The Raptors have subsequently received a severe lashing from many of the preseason prognosticators. Can a young team that didn’t make any significant starting lineup changes possibly compete in a conference that has benefitted from so many seismic moves in the last few months?
Optimistic Raptors fans can point to the fact that many of the teams in the conference have also gotten worse amid all of the blockbuster trades that have gone down. Several teams who will compete with Toronto have declined this offseason in a fairly noteworthy fashion.
3 Toronto Raptors rivals who got worse
3. Charlotte Hornets
This one is admittedly through no fault of Charlotte organizationally. They had a perfect offseason plan blown up thanks to the stupidity and disgusting nature of Miles Bridges. The impending free agent’s domestic violence incident has left Charlotte without their second-best player.
Even with all that financial room opened up because of Bridges, the Hornets did little to address their many deficiencies. Mason Plumlee could once again go into the season as the starting center, and Montrezl Harrell’s bench scoring was ripped away from them by Philadelphia.
The Toronto Raptors are better than the Hornets.
The Raptors beat the Hornets two out of three times last year, scoring at least 116 points in both of those wins. While they rehired a defensive head coach in Steve Clifford, they lack the high-end defensive personnel he needs to implement his scheme. This could lead to a rough adjustment period.
LaMelo Ball is a fantastic talent, and his continued development was supposed to be what Charlotte was counting on as they try to escape the play-in doldrums. Without proper support around him, Toronto can safely disregard the Hornets as a threat to leapfrog them.
2. Brooklyn Nets
While the Nets will likely improve in the standings next season, as they will lean on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving while Ben Simmons reintegrates himself, this team still have plenty of questions that need to be answered. A team lacking in depth and defense got even more deficient in both of those areas.
Royce O’Neale cost a first-round pick to acquire, and he is an inferior player to Bruce Brown. Outside of a few non-guaranteed signings, the only noteworthy name Brooklyn added this offseason was Markieff Morris. The perimeter defense is still among the league’s worst, and LaMarcus Aldridge may leave the team for retirement.
The Nets might not be much better than the Raptors.
Any team with Durant, Irving, and Simmons on it is going to compete for a championship. Having said that, last year proved that leaning on so many superstars that have issues with availability can be a nightmare for a team lacking depth in all areas.
Brooklyn has shown that their momentum can be punctured by a motivated team. Brooklyn may not have blown it all up in the offseason or traded Durant to Toronto, but they certainly didn’t improve. A vulnerable Nets team could struggle against a Raptors team that is coming into their own.
1. Miami Heat
While the Raptors decided to keep their young team together, Miami faces more immediate pressure to compete for a championship due to having an older team led by names like Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry. Miami kept trying to swing trades for Mitchell and Durant, but they came up short.
Miami, who was beaten by Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals, appears to have been trying to offload two very poor defenders in Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson, the latter of whom has become an albatross contract. The Heat don’t have the benefit of time on their side.
The Toronto Raptors could match up well with the Miami Heat.
With Lowry having struggled with injuries and Butler turning 33 a few days ago, Miami is one of two unlucky breaks away from seeing most of their infrastructure crumble away into dust. Bam Adebayo is great, but has he proven he can be a trusted primary scoring option on a contender?
Toronto has already proven that they can play Miami as well as any team, as their style of play is very similar to what the Heat like to do. The Heat are going to be a playoff team again, but the Raptors should by no means dread their days in South Beach.