How long will Coach remain patient?
The Toronto Raptors were tied at the half against the New York Knicks recently. After a wretched second half, Toronto ended up dropping their eleventh game. With nine wins, the Raps are hangin’ around, on the edge of the Eastern Conference playoff race. While it’s true the schedule hasn’t been the friendliest recently, Toronto’s problems were evident long before 8 games in 13 nights. They continue to be among the NBA’s worst teams in 3-point shooting percentage, and making free throws. Unless both these tendencies are corrected, this team will be hugely frustrating, and the calls for a major trade or three will continue to be loudly heard.
While I’m still not ready to throw in the towel on this season, the roster is frustrating me, and I’d like to see some tinkering. Is it time for Precious Achiuwa to have a 5-game trial with the starters? The whole group would be able to hit from deep, in theory at least. Jakob Poeltl as the defensive anchor of the bench mob might be workable.
Or how about this…I’ve gripped for a while about how the Raps need someone who plays with an edge. Masai Ujiri recently tossed Justise Winslow a lifeline. The former lottery pick was out of the league, but he’s now trying to resurrect his career with the 905. Winslow hasn’t played as yet, which I don’t understand, but he’s on the roster. While it’s a steep rock to push up the hill when a pro player’s career comes off the rails, I’m interested to see if Winslow can defy the odds. Surely it would be better to have a cheap guy like him coming off the bench than the elderly, expensive trio currently clogging up the back of the roster.
The purpose of Thaddeus Young, Garrett Temple, and Otto Porter is all but non-existent. We don’t need three wise men on a team of relative veterans, particularly now that Gradey Dick is trying to rediscover his shooting stroke in the minors. These guys are only of use as salary matches.
Do I smell a deal in our future?
That implies a trade(s) happening. Given how poor the team’s performance has been recently (that gag job in Charlotte was painful beyond words), a move can’t be ruled out. There was a flurry of publicity recently surrounding the 10-year anniversary of the trade, or The Trade, in which Rudy Gay was dispatched to Sacramento. The Raptors got four useful guys back, and the team commenced its most successful decade ever.
Will we see a repeat this season? I suspect the current roster has about 10 more games to prove they belong together, after which time Masai will initiate the calls. He’s a patient man, and that’s usually a virtue, but no boss’ patience is infinite, particularly when chartered with creating winning sports teams.
Do I think the Raptors will make a deal this season? Yes – and it might be a large one, or more.
- Tags: Masai Ujiri, Toronto Raptors
