Toronto Raptors 2022/2023 Regular Season Thread

[Nik]

Schedule

Roster


Well it should be an interesting year for the guys. I think the first stretch have games has shown us what a lot of people were saying before the season, namely that while this is a good team that should be competitive most nights they're still a step below the elite contenders.

 

[L K]

Siakam is obviously the bright spot as he is playing in the 1st/2nd team All-NBA territory to start the year. 

Koloko is probably my most surprising guy so far.  I expected him to get some playing time and his offensive game is non-existent but he can play and seems like a guy who is really going to fit in well with the switch heavy defensive system.

I still think Nick Nurse doesn't really know how to generate enough offense.  He doesn't run enough plays for a team that doesn't really have reliable shooting.  5-3 is still a really good start given the tough matchups.  This is easily a playoff team rather than the 8-12 team that ESPN seems to think they are.

 

[Rick C.]

I still think Nick Nurse doesn't really know how to generate enough offense. 

That said... 143 points last night   139 Monday night.

 

[L K]

I still think Nick Nurse doesn't really know how to generate enough offense. 

That said... 143 points last night

Yeah, it's kind of funny to say that when they blew the Spurs out of the water.  That was an enjoyable book end to the Leafs win.  It's going to be a recurrent problem with the team though.  When they get hot shooting they are great.  When the shooting dries up they can't manufacture points.  Siakam looks like he might have taken that next step to be able to do that more but I still haven't seen enough of that from Scottie/OG.  GTJ can certainly get his own shot off from nothing but he's also very hot and cold as a shooter.

 

[Nik]

I still think that the one piece this team desperately needs is a scorer off the bench. I really don't understand how we came back and are still looking to Banton and Flynn as the 2nd unit creators.

 

[L K]

I still don't understand the trade/signing of Thad Young.  We gave up a 1st round pick for a non-shooting player at a redundant position and then re-signed him to sit at the end of the bench because he's redundant and not a shooter.

 

[Nik]

Kind of feels like the Raps should really start thinking about blowing this team up and trying to rebuild something around Scottie. If Siakam or FVV aren't going to be the kind of players you can build a championship contender around, and it really doesn't look like they are, now is probably the time to move on. The good thing is that you would almost certainly get a huge haul for Siakam and OG that could almost immediately turn this team into a pretty fun young team to watch.

 

[rjd]

Kind of feels like the Raps should really start thinking about blowing this team up and trying to rebuild something around Scottie. If Siakam or FVV aren't going to be the kind of players you can build a championship contender around, and it really doesn't look like they are, now is probably the time to move on. The good thing is that you would almost certainly get a huge haul for Siakam and OG that could almost immediately turn this team into a pretty fun young team to watch.

It sounds like they want to keep Siakam, OG and Precious, along with Scottie, and move FVV and Trent Jr.  The issue there is that FVV and Trent Jr. don't really bring back enough to allow you to get better, and Saikam, OG, and Barnes mean that you are probably good enough to not be last, but not good enough to make the playoffs, so they are stuck in purgatory.

 

[L K]

Kind of feels like the Raps should really start thinking about blowing this team up and trying to rebuild something around Scottie. If Siakam or FVV aren't going to be the kind of players you can build a championship contender around, and it really doesn't look like they are, now is probably the time to move on. The good thing is that you would almost certainly get a huge haul for Siakam and OG that could almost immediately turn this team into a pretty fun young team to watch.

It sounds like they want to keep Siakam, OG and Precious, along with Scottie, and move FVV and Trent Jr.  The issue there is that FVV and Trent Jr. don't really bring back enough to allow you to get better, and Saikam, OG, and Barnes mean that you are probably good enough to not be last, but not good enough to make the playoffs, so they are stuck in purgatory.

FVV I think has more value than people think around the league.  He's not 4 FRP + a good young player kind of guy, but I think a lot of organizations value stuff that he does.  I can certainly see the value in trying to retool a bit around the core but I personally would rather just see the keep Barnes and sell everyone else approach.