The Toronto Raptors Are Very Interesting

The Toronto Raptors Are Very Interesting

The Toronto Raptors, in my opinion, are the most interesting team in the NBA. That may sound insane given that they weren’t really featured on national TV and aren’t the most talked about team, but given the new culture instilled by coach Rajovich and the collection of talent that this team has, they’ve quietly had a competitive squad that the record of last season didn’t reflect. Moreover, what also adds intrigue to this team is the mystery cloud hovering over this roster regarding both fifth and potential cost-saving moves that might have to be done. We have the acquisition of Brandon Ingram and the question mark surrounding how he works well within this team. And we have the ultimate dilemma of allocating all that money to Scotty Barnes, RJ Barrett, Emanuel Quickley, Yaka Purle, and the affforementioned Ingram to be one of the most expensive teams in the entire league. In this video, we’re going to cover the good and not so good with the Raptors upcoming season and discuss how competitive they might be. Starting with the good, coach Rojovich put emphasis on increased ball movement and less isolation play in favor of a free flowing offense and also hammered down limiting corner threes and easy layup attempts. And while this team was decimated by injuries this past season to their key rotational guys, this philosophy worked out great for this team and will pay dividends next season. Ultimately, the Raptors were sixth in passes made per game and seventh in assists per game and had the lowest isolation frequency in the league. With this being also one of the top cutting teams in the league, this means that easier, better looks and opportunities could be created with a healthier roster and could catapult this offense to at least competence to complement their great turnaround on defense. Defensively, they had the second best defensive rating after All-Star break, forcing their opponents to just 33% from three and forcing 16 turnovers a game. Moving on to personnel, we obviously have to start with all-star Scotty Barnes. When you look up Swiss Army knife and even the word versatile in the dictionary, you’re inevitably going to see an image of Barnes. He’s a 674 with a 73 wingspan that runs the floor exceptionally well and can be a hassle to deal with in the half courtin transition. does well on the ball as a capable playmaker and creator, uses his length to be a gamecher defensively, and overall has all-star level impact. He definitely had a down year in terms of efficiency, but the injuries to the sporting cast and him being on a team that was bottom two in three-point attempts per game and bottom five and three-point makes per game, the floor didn’t really open up for him in that he still put up a modest 198 and six nights with 2.4 stocks a game. Scotty dominates through his ability to attack the ribbon finish with his combination of size, strength, and footwork allowing him to take defenders off the dribble. He actually is an underrated subcreator due to his handle. He operates quickly off the catch and attack closeouts, can catch the ball in the deep post and easily finish, and has effective utility off ball as a cutter. As a playmaker offensively, Barnes averaged 5.9 assists a game as an improved decision maker and operator in the pick and roll. And defensively, he puts that 73 wingspan and nimleness to good use to be a good positional and help defender who can make great recoveries to the perimeter and break up plays that generate transition opportunities for the Raptors. Barnes nearly doubled his volume of mid-range attempts this past season. But the thing that’s stopping him from taking the next step is his outside shot, which fell to a career worst in 2025. He shot the highest volume of threes in his career while having the best three-point shooting percentage in his career in 2024. So, there’s still hope that he can be respectable outside shooter. Before we begin, be sure to drop a like as that makes a massive difference for the channel and also suck for more content like this. And also, I posted a video on the second channel about the 2016 Warriors. So, if you’re interested, check out the card above. Moving on to Brandon Ingram. The Raptors need him to be healthy and back to all-star form if they want to accomplish anything next season. Ingram had the entire sag of whether or not the Pelicans would extend him, but with them not reaching a deal with him and extending Trey Murphy the third, he eventually got dealt to the Raptors. Unfortunately, despite extending him to a three-year deal worth $120 million, he never suited up for the Raptors after the trade because of his ankle injury. To bring an all-star caliber player when you’re already paying Barnes quickly and bear all that money means that you’re serious about being competitive in the near future. And at least offensively, Ingram can be a big boost. He’s been a 20 points per game scorer each season in his Pelicans tenure. And over the last three seasons, he’s averaged 22 points per game, five rebounds, and six assists on 49% from the field, 37% from three, and 84% from the free throw line. The soon tobe 28-year-old is who he is at this point, taking a good portion of his shot attempts in the mid-range, being a factor in the open floor, and being able to attack the rim. He can serve as one of your lead ball handlers as he’s also a good playmaker is a muchneeded presence as a pull-up and catch and shoot threats. And while this team doesn’t specialize in isolation, he can be effective on that front. The real crumb of last year’s injury crisis is that we failed to see how good all these players fit together, particularly with shot distribution. Speaking of shots per game, RJ took 17 shots a game last year and averaged 21 six and five on 47% from the field and 35% from three. R.J. is a divisive player because he has a great build and skill set to be an effective wing, but there’s still much improvement needed for him to take the next step. He has become a better decision maker and playmaker, operates well in transition, has good instincts offensively, and is effective in attacking the rim. He shot well on corner threes this past season, but the 39% from three he shot last season in the 32 games on the team didn’t cross over to 2025, hitting just 33% of his above the break attempts. He isn’t much of a threat as a mid-range shooter as he took a grand total of 40 this past season. Does need work in his self-creation ability, could improve defensively off the ball, and has shot just 63% from the free throw line in his Raptors tenure. Quickly, on the other hand, has shot very well from three on high volume since landing in Toronto. He’s not only a lead ball handler on this team with effectiveness in the pick and roll, but he has kept his turnovers to a minimum. But his greatest asset is his threat as a pull up and catch and shoot threepoint shooter. He does shoulder a lot of the outside shooting burden on this team which makes him inherently valuable and I only expect his volume from the outside to level or even increase next season. Grady Dick on this team has demonstrated that he can be an effective outside shooter as a movement shooter. My concern with him lies in the development in his other aspects of his game such as being more of a threat and attacking the rim and his overall self-creation ability. but he’s entering only year three, so there’s room for him to grow, and I expect him to make those improvements to his game. At the five for this team is Jacob Purle, who quietly averaged 14 and a half points and 9.6 rebounds on 63% from the field, who has been sound defensively and operates well in the pick and roll. In the NBA draft, the Raptors selected Colin Murray Boils, a player who can be effective piece defensively in the front court with a solid feel for the game, but he is limited in terms of his outside shooting at this point and again is just a rookie. Plus, Oiagi had a career year providing much potential for him as a 3 and D piece for this team. Now, briefly discussing the negatives of this team, this team needs to improve in terms of its outside shooting. In the NBA, the value of three-point shooting is obvious as it will open up the floor more since teams will have to respect, of course, the shooters from outside. However, they’re near the bottom of the league in terms of attempts and percentage, making it a little bit more difficult for Scotty Barnes and others to operate in the paint and puts a clear ceiling on the Raptors offense. Next, we got to talk about how expensive this team is. With Ingram and Purle receiving extensions on top of the money that Barnes, Barrett, and Quickley are owed, the Raptors are ninth in salary this upcoming NBA season. Keep in mind that this is with RJ Barrett only having two years left on his deal and he obviously will need to be extended if the Raptors want him back on this team. Given that the Raptors are over the tax and only have a few years left on his deal, RJ Barrett might be a cap casualty in the near future. But even if he stays, there is a ton riding upon this upcoming season. The Raptors traded for Ingram with the expectation to compete. And in a weaker Eastern Conference, failing to make the playoffs are not even showing obvious signs of growth would be marked as a massive failure. If this offense can be above league average, and also they can turn around defensively like they did in the second half of last season, this rappers team can be competitive in the Eastern Conference. not a true title contender, but a team that you don’t want to play. With that being said, let me know your thoughts down below on the Toronto Raptors and your expectations for them next season. What are your expectations for Brandon Ingram on this team and what impact do you think he’ll finally have when he suits up for the Raptors? Do you think Scotty Barnes will return to the NBA All-Star game this upcoming season? And finally, let me know where you feel this team will be by the end of next season. Will they be firmly in the NBA playoffs or will they be a playing team that has to try to compete to get in? Like I said before, if you’re interested, check out my video on the second channel about the 2016 Warriors. And also, if you want to know about an interesting team in the Eastern Conference, check out my video on the Boston Celtics and how weird they’re going to look next season without Jason Tatum.

The Toronto Raptors had an underwhelming season, but with a new philosophy and the acquisition of Brandon Ingram, they’ve quickly become one of the more interesting teams in the NBA. Here’s why Scottie Barnes and the Raptors will be competitive.