The Toronto Raptors and their fanbase are currently locked in a vicious tug of war. While some corners want to keep plugging away with this current core and make one more playoff run, some want Masai Ujiri to blow this roster up and start from scratch around Scottie Barnes.
Ujiri clearly has some indecision with regard to which direction makes more sense for this franchise. While he looked like a seller after trying to flip OG Anunoby at the trade deadline, the acquisition of Jakob Poeltl shows that this team is in winnow mode.
Those two philosophies pushing and pulling against one another are clearly weighing in this front office. How can you hire a good head coach and create a solid plan for free agency when there is no consensus on direction? Brian Windhorst confirmed all this dysfunction.
On his “Hoop Collective” podcast, Windhorst said that everyone close to the Raptors has made it clear they have no idea what they are going to do. While the Raptors are a very tight-lipped organization, even outside observers can see how crazy things look in Toronto.
Today's The Hoop Collective with @WindhorstESPN and @TimBontemps features discussion about the Celtics trying to pull off a historic comeback and delves into which lottery picks might be available in the trade market: https://t.co/LvsSwNlbnc
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) May 26, 2023
NBA rumors: Toronto Raptors not sure of direction in 2023
Both sides have a compelling case. Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes can be a dynamic 1-2 punch, Poeltl had this team playing terrific defense, and a new coach could boost their offense. Tanking can be a tough decision, as teams like the Pistons and Rockets have done it for years with minimal progress.
However, Siakam is likely isn’t the No. 1 option on a championship team. With minimal draft capital, a bunch of upcoming contract extensions, and the Eastern Conference as deep as ever, bottoming out and trading away some big players might help long-term.
The Raptors appear to be having it both ways, trading away some of their old core in exchange for a haul that would enable them to compete in 2023 and beyond. While such a haul would be ideal for next season, there are some who will groan at the fact they didn’t commit to the rebuild.
The Raptors are not in a position to compete for a title, yet they lack a first-round pick (unless they fall in the top six) and have some clear rifts among the players on the team. With much of the team hitting free agency, the Raptors are between a rock and a hard place.