Just over a week ago, during a pre-game edition of Raptors Central on Sportsnet, it was announced that Toronto has already exercised its fourth-year contract option for head coach Darko Rajakovic. As per Raptors columnist and insider Michael Grange, this decision was finalized earlier in the 2024 summer offseason, which he described as "kind of unusual."
It is certainly a bit odd for a franchise to give an early green light on a coach's status within the team structure, but seeing as Rajakovic was brought in as a project and development coach, Grange suggested that it was the Raptors' way of saying, "We're with you for the long haul," in a sense.
This season has been a rollercoaster of every imaginable scenario. The Raptors began the year in a tough spot, struggling to find the strong, spirited identity that has defined them in the league. This version of Toronto was heavily focused on a rebuilding phase, grappling with the challenges that come with a young squad and a still relatively new head coach.
As time passed and the team gained more experience, both the young players and Rajakovic helped the Raptors silenced many of their critics. They not only outlasted but also outplayed some tougher opponents, significantly improving their defense. However, this shift in their performance reduced any hopes of tanking for a better draft pick.
On a recent edition of The Bill Simmons Podcast, titled "The 2025 Made-Up NBA Awards," special guest Ryen Russillo highlighted the coaching successes of Rajakovic with the Raptors. Despite widespread skepticism and many expecting Toronto to be an easy opponent, Russillo took a moment to really praise what Rajakovic has achieved.
Raptors and Darko Rajakovic defy expectations and prove critics wrong
It's actually quite funny to me that this tidbit about Rajakovic and the Raptors came up while Simmons and Russillo were discussing the "Monty Williams Award," which highlights the worst coach of the NBA season (we all remember the egregious Pistons season they endured with Williams at the helm last year).
Russillo would comment:
"Toronto. Rajakovic. Now, not because he did a bad job, but because he did an amazing job. This is the worst tanking, in a bad way—like if the goal were to tank. They were 8-31. They were unbelievably defensively there for two months. They won too many games. I'm not saying he's a bad coach, but he did the worst job of executing; the team played so hard. They play too hard. I'm not even comparing him to Monty Williams, but I’m zagging a bit on the nomination. There are certain nights with their lineups where I’d go, 'What the hell?' and then they win again."
Not too long ago, I mentioned Russillo’s thoughts on the Raptors' roster, where he expressed confusion about what Masai Ujiri might be aiming for with what he views as an overpriced, average team in the Eastern Conference.
However, Russillo’s recent comments praising the Raptors' spirit this season and the coaching adjustments made by Rajakovic show the potential this franchise has to reach new heights, especially if everything falls into place.
Rajakovic is far from a perfect NBA coach, but then again, who really is? Everyone has their flaws, but a big part of a coach's challenge is getting the team and front office to be on their side—both of which I strongly believe Rajakovic has in the bag.
He has the wherewithal to motivate the team, whether it's the starters, the bench, or even, more recently, the back-end reserves, to play with all their heart and might and give their absolute best to rally for victory. As Russillo mentioned, they played so well that it became difficult to tank.
Picture what Rajakovic could achieve with more talent, a full offseason, and the chance to build team chemistry with the right pieces in place. It may sound like wishful thinking, but there’s definitely a plausible scenario where this team could turn its fortunes around, with Rajakovic playing a vital part in making that happen.