2009/2010 Team Review: Toronto Raptors September 28, 2009
Posted by thebigfundamental in NBA.Tags: 2009/2010 Reviews, NBA
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Normally I reserve these reviews for the forums on which I operate but this year I’ve decided to post all my reviews on here. If this is your first time I hope you enjoy reading this review and the others to come and appreciate any/all comments.
Chris Bosh should spend less time on his image, and more time getting the job done
I’m going to start with one of the few teams that’s actually filled it’s roster, the Toronto Raptors. More moves may yet come, but they’ll probably be insignificant given the financial stance of the Raptors at present. Let’s begin with the depth chart:
PG: Jose Calderon, Jarret Jack, Marcus Banks
SG: Marco Bellinelli, DeMar DeRozan, Quincy Doubt, Sonny Weems
SF: Hedo Turkgolu, Antoine Wright
PF: Chris Bosh, Amir Johnson, Reggie Evans
C: Andrea Bargnani, Rasho Nesterovic, Patrick O’Bryant
All in all that’s not too shabby a lineup – on first inspection anyways. Look a little closer and you’ll see that this team is lacking in several areas – several areas that will have them floating in obscurity for most of the year.
Area #1: Defense. A quick look at who is the best defender on the team and you should say DeMar DeRozan. That’s not good as he’s fresh out of college and still getting a handle on the big-time. Not since Magic Johnson have we been able to not worry about our best defender being a rookie. DeRozan shouldn’t have to carry this responsibility in his rookie year especially given the last guy to try it – Corey Brewer – showed perfectly what happens when the defensive load is placed firmly on a rookie.
Area #2: Rebounding. The Raptors are one of the worst rebounding teams in the league (effectively, not statistically) because all their bigs are jump-shooters. It’s definitely handy to have your 4 & 5 out on the perimeter CAPABLE of hitting the 3 ball, but it leaves you rather slim for second chance’s if they miss. DeRozan will help in that area as will Reggie Evans and Amir Johnson who were acquired for their energy, but whether it will be enough will depend largely on how well they shoot.
Area #3: Chris Bosh. Sorry CB4 but this season there are no more excuses. You’ve now got Hedo who can clear room for you, you’ve had a summer off (though reports of that hamstring strain ALREADY are a concern), and you got a decent draft choice in DeRozan to help you get second chance points. If CB4 has indeed been working on his game this off-season then he’s never had a better group of players around him for his particular style. Turkgolu, Bargnani, Bellinelli, Calderon, DeRozan, Jack can all shoot the 3 ball and give him room to operate down low. If he gets into a 1-on-1 with the leagues other PF’s then he should go for 22 and 10. If he goes soft, then the Raps go down with him as does his chances of getting a max contract at a decent team next summer.
Will Hedo drive the Raptors further than last season or will he, like Peja did, wither to a shadow of himself?
Overall I think the Raptors have improved but I still think they lack pressure players. Jack and Derozan will play well under pressure but Turkgolu, for me, is the next Stojakovic… In an Eastern conference which has only gotten stronger, I see them in the tussle for 8th spot with Indiana, Detroit, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Problem is, I see a lot more to like in those other rosters than I do in Toronto’s. My advice to Toronto is to trade CB4 mid-season, get in someone worth keeping or some awesome picks, and re-build because this season is only going to bring silver linings, not blue skies.
Baseline Cut's 
A pretty decent post but I have to disagree with you on a number of points.
First, they will not float in obscurity. They may not be a top team but there is no reason to believe they are not capable of winning 45-47 wins…that gets them 5-7 in the east – not obscurity.
DeRozen is not nor is he expected to be our best defender. I would have to say our defensive stopper in the perimeter is Antoine Wright. He was Dallas’ defensive stopper when he was there and no reason why he can’t do that here. In the front court, you will see improvements defensively from Bargnani but it will be Evans and Amir Johnson who holds it down defensively.
I agree with you on the rebounding, they will have to show as a team that they can rebound the ball. Hedo and DeRozen should both help in that regard.
And finally Chris Bosh is not an area of concern. He has been our best and most consistent player over the last 4 years. He was only 1 of 3 players in the NBA to average 20 and 10 last year. He gives us 20 and 10 night in, night out. I know there are a lot of detractors of Bosh out there, but he is not our problem.
Otherwise nice post, just different opinions and view, which is all good.
A fair look at the team, but you’re making quite a few assumptions, especially about DeRozan. The guy hasn’t played a pro game yet, I think it’s way too early to say he can be their best defender, he plays well under pressure, etc.
As a Raps fan, I hope to hell Hedo doesn’t end up being the next Peja. Peja doesn’t even really belong in the NBA at this point.
DeRozan will not be the best defender. He also not Cory Brewer who isn’t an NBA player. What about Bosh? Or Rasho, Evans and Wright? Your opinion is uneducated. The Raptors so lack defense and rebounding but everyone has weaknesses.
Thanks for all your comments people. All Raptors fans??? Good to see some passion for the team.
Louis: I can actually only see them scraping through for 40 wins if they’re lucky. I can see at least 10 teams better than them straight up so I’m tipping them to be about the 41-41 mark which should be somewhere about 8th i the East. Hedo will hardly help on the boards but DeRozans energy should get him ~4 a game – his tenacity and athleticism are amazing. Can’t say I agree with you on Wright, he’s a little too slow for mine and ended up almost out of the rotation at Dallas last year because of his poor play. Please don’t get me wrong on CB4 – I pick him most years in fantasy due to his all-round game but I still believe we haven’t seen his best and his best IS worth a max contract. If he goes down so does the teams chances, which says volumes about his importance, but I’d still like to see him go off for 20 boards or 5 blocks in an effort that gets the team OVER teams they were expected to lose too. If they do that THEN, imho, the Raps will be 47 – 50 game winners.
Vittorio: Yeah I assumed DeRozan would be given considerable minutes straight away. I guess I saw Antoine Wright and imo, I’d have DeRozan ahead of him purely based on athleticism. I’m not a Raps fan but definitely agree on Hedo – I was shocked when the move was made but if he works out, well then I expect all my “assumptions” to be wrong… Very wrong lol.
Mark: Chill out dude – seriously. Corey Brewer plays for the T-Wolves and would be one of the best defenders in the league right now if they’d only given him time to grow and get used to the rigors of an NBA season. The parallel to DeRozan is there if he’s not managed properly, otherwise the similarities are for naught. If you think Rasho is a key you’re in for a rough season (I’m a Spurs fan and was ecstatic the day we got rid of him). Evans can rebound but he plays the same position as Bosh so I don’t expect him to be too influential. Wright is sporadic at best – I like DeRozan any day of the week ahead of Wright. Lacking defense and rebounding are pretty major weaknesses in my book but if I’m uneducated then hey, Raps for the ring ’10?? lol