The Toronto Raptors took advantage of NBA media day yesterday to talk about the fact that they are hungry for more success.
Raptors Plan to Fight for Another Title
The fact that Kawhi Leonard took his talents to Los Angeles is not going to stop the Toronto Raptors. While they might not be favorites to repeat, they are a hungry group with a lot of pride.
They spoke about their eagerness to defend their first NBA title.
Anybody who thought that the Raptors were going to be in rebuild mode are wrong. There is no clear cut favorite in the Easter Conference which has the Raptors feeling like it could be them. Of course most would disagree from the outside looking in but the Toronto Raptors could care less.
Toronto Managed Without Kawhi Before
Last season this team played a lot of games without Kawhi Leonard. While they weren’t the same without him in the lineup, their record was very similar. Leonard’s performance in last year’s playoffs were so extraordinary that at times it seemed like he was carrying the franchise in his back.
Unfortunately for the rest of the group, that doesn’t tell the full story. Siakam stepped up as did Van Vleet. As much as Kyle Lowry’s playoff performances have been maligned in his career, he had his best performance in their closeout game.
What often times looked like a one-man show was a total team effort. Even without Leonard the Raptors will be one of the best defensive teams in the league.
Pascal Siakam Needs to Take the Lead
In order for the Toronto Raptors to have any chance of repeating, Pascal Siakam will have to take the next step in his development as a player. He has all of the tools to be a star in the NBA and the Raptors will hope he is ready for the spotlight.
He is the most talented player on a championship team and with that comes a certain amount of responsibility. He comes off as a humble hard working young man who people sometimes forget hasn’t been playing basketball nearly as long as most of his peers.
Siakam still has 2 years left in his rookie contract but the Toronto Raptors have already approached his agent about signing an extension. The Raptors don’t have to worry about Siakam wanting to of home and play since he is not from the U.S.
Instead they would be wise to sign him as soon as possible because he would be one of the most in demand free agents on the market should he not receive a new deal from Toronto. Considering Masai Ujiri’s role in bringing African players to the NBA, it’s hard to imagine Siakam feeling more comfortable anywhere else.
Add to that the fact that he is a favorite among fans who have literally watched him grow up as a basketball player before their eyes. As the lone international city in the league, international players tend to get a lot of love up north.
Kyle Lowry and the Veterans
This is a team with a strong veteran presence. Kyle Lowry has always been the leader of this group, even Kawhi was still around. The hard nosed former All Star has let go of hard feelings regarding the way Dermar DeRozan was traded. Winning a championship has a funny way of doing that.
He realizes now that Ujiri ultimately made the right choice and Lowry benefited from his friend being traded away, regardless of the circumstances.
For Lowry, now it’s about being the veteran leader than he has always shown himself to be. He will have some help from veterans Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka.
Gasol had himself a historic summer winning an NBA title followed by a FIBA World Cup. When he was traded from Memphis, he seemed like a player whose best days may have been behind him. By the time the playoffs rolled around, he turned back into what he has always been. A strong defensive presence and a timely shot maker. It’s hard to imagine the Raptors being world champions without his contributions.
The other veteran big man that stepped big time for this team was Ibaka. While he is nowhere near the player he once was on OKC, he played big when the Raptors needed him. The fact that the Toronto Raptors had three former defensive players of the year in their 7-man rotation can’t be underestimated.
Should Be an Interesting Battle in the East
It’s hard to predict how the Raptors will finish because things can go in a few different directions. First if all their biggest challengers in the East, the 76ers and the Bucks will be hungry to avenge their playoff losses to the Raptors.
