What I was already viewing as a crucial turning point in the Toronto Raptors' journey just got dialed up another notch after revered executive Masai Ujiri was shockingly let go in late June. Before Ujiri parted ways, I could still look at this somewhat confusing Raptors core and believe that the "Trust Masai" vision might prove to be the prevailing magic at play.
But now, for the more critical basketball audiences and blunt NBA analysts, the Raptors have few redeeming qualities to outweigh their murky financial situation and on-paper bleak competitive outlook in the East — despite the conference seeming as wide open as ever.
Raptors appear far from true contending status despite all-in core
One such commentator who often critiques the Raptors' current situation is Ryen Russillo, who recently joined The Ringer's Bill Simmons for an interesting podcast episode outlining "The Bleakest NBA Team Situations" over the next five years.
Here's what Russillo had to say about the current Raptors squad in the July 6 edition of The Bill Simmons podcast:
"I don't want to be Toronto [Raptors]. I don't want to be Toronto [Raptors] because even though Scottie Barnes is better than some of the other team's best players. It's $38.5 million for him. It's $38 million for Brandon Ingram. It's $32.5 million for Quickley. It's $28 million for RJ Barrett. [Jakob] Poeltl, who's fine. You know, $20 million, that's gonna go up with the extension. Now, you want to argue last year Ingram didn't play. RJ [Barrett] didn't crack 60 games. [Jakob] Poeltl didn't crack 60 games. [Immanuel] Quickley played 33. Scottie Barnes only played 65..."Ryen Russillo
"... I think there's some Scottie Barnes numbers that are going in the wrong direction in an alarming way. But I'm not ready to just write him off as like somebody who's going to now like his best year ever was his second year and now it's all downhill. So that doesn't seem entirely fair. So, even though I like [Scottie] Barnes better, there's no moves here really for Toronto and all of these players other than RJ [Barrett] are under contract for the next three years. "Ryen Russillo
So, what is there to take from this?
I don't think Russillo necessarily has a bone to pick with the talent in Toronto per se; rather, I often hear his nitpicks about the Raptors' decision to pay what is largely a mid-tier core, which has quickly evolved into an expensive lineup on par with an all-in, championship-contending team — when this version of the Raptors just isn't that.
Does it look bleak at face value? Heck, I'd be kidding myself if I told you with a straight face that it didn't. I know that Masai Ujiri's Raptors have shown in years past that they can overcome the odds stacked against them or completely flip the script on their mediocre expectations to surprise many.
But that's just hoping for the best in a pretty foregone situation.
When it comes down to it, analysts like Russillo are just looking at the present facts and going off that. It can't always be an argument of, "Well, what if this happens?" How can you defend that claim when the opposite takes shape?
It's not the greatest reputation to have right now amongst basketball circles, but it's up to the Raptors to fix the wrinkles around their core and set themselves on a more appealing outlook going forward.