Toronto Raptors
The 2022-23 Toronto Raptors can be defined by winning seven fewer games than last season and missing the playoffs.
What did we learn?
Nick Nurse is out as head coach of the Raptors.
It’s only been four years since the Raptors won the 2018-19 Finals under Nurse, but that’s how Masai operates. And that’s what happens when the vibes of the team are off.
For as much as the Raps overachieved last year, they underwhelmed this season. We kept waiting for them to get hot and make a big run like they did post-All-Star last year, but it never happened.
Toronto’s style of play was too dependent on forcing turnovers and scoring in transition. The Raptors did those things very well, better than anybody, but they could not score in the halfcourt — which, turns out, is a very important part of the game.
There was too much isolation. Not enough playmaking or shooting. A look at the Raptors’ shooting accuracy on Cleaning the Glass shows a lot of blue. Blue is bad. Blue means cold.
The spacing was poor, a result of not having many shooters and your good shooters not shooting well. The driving lanes were clogged.
Fred VanVleet’s struggles this season heavily plagued the Raptors. FVV shot 39 percent from the field and had too many games where he couldn’t buy a bucket. In the 15 games that he shot less than 30 percent, the Raptors went 2-13.
Scottie Barnes had a bit of a sophomore slump. His base numbers were actually about the same as his Rookie of the Year campaign, but his efficiency and shot regressed. Barnes’ assists increased as he was used more as a power guard.
Pascal Siakam shined in the midst of a career year, averaging his most points and assists per game while playing the most minutes per game in the league. He did not make All-NBA, but he was an All-Star for the second time in his career.
OG Anunoby quietly had a good season. He shot the ball less, but more effectively, back up to 39 percent from 3. OG remained a stout defender, leading the NBA in steals. But he also turned the ball over and fouled at career-high rates.
Precious Achiuwa was a bellwether player for the Raps. Achiuwa missed three weeks in November and all of December with an ankle injury. The Raptors had a December record of 5-10, only the Hornets and Pistons had fewer wins in the last month of 2022. With Achiuwa in the lineup this season, the Raps had a winning record of 30-25.
The deadline trade for Jakob Poeltl was a surprising one, but having a true 5 helped the structure. It was not enough to get the Raptors over the hump.
Toronto closed the season out by winning 6 out of 9 games, granting them the No. 9 seed and home court for the first play-in game against the Bulls. But the Raptors blew a 19-point lead while missing 18 free throws as Mari DeRozan screamed away their chances at the playoffs.
Masai and the Raptors are once again at a crossroads, probably more now than ever.
A trade this summer seems all too likely.
FVV has already opted out and will be a free agent.
North of the border, changes are in the wind.
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Additional Notes
Gary Trent had an up-and-down season, consistently inconsistent. Capable of torching 3s and going off for 30, but just as capable of looking like a chucker.
The average fan probably has never heard of him, but rookie Christian Koloko started 19 games this season, looking like a block machine at times with thunderous rejections.
The Otto Porter Jr. experiment did not go as planned. OPJ played just 8 games this season. Delano Banton also played half the games he did last season as a rook. Banton has to work on this 3-point shot, though. That was an area where we thought OPJ would help.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
This one feels like a Pure Lock. Over 46.5 wins.
Raptors 2022-23 record: (41-41)
Nope. All of the ones that felt like Pure Locks did not hit lol
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What’s Next?
The No. 13 pick in the draft. The Raptors need to use their draft pick to have a rookie-scale contract. Future firsts are gone to San An. Speaking of, they should probably re-sign Poeltl to make that trade worth it. And to have an actual center on the roster.
New head coach Darko Rajakovic. Rajakovic was an assistant coach for the Grizzlies. Some have suggested this hire points to future moves toward a rebuild.
The rumor mill has floated Siakam to Portland for Simons and the No. 3 pick. Honestly, that has the potential to work out for both teams.
VanVleet declined his $22.8 million player option and is officially and unrestricted free agent. If he’s not back on the Raptors, a sign-and-trade seems very much in the cards.
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Favorite Raptors Highlight of the 2022-23 Season:
The Return of Power Dunk City. Coming Soon.
