There were plenty of question marks surrounding the future of the Toronto Raptors after they followed up the best regular season in franchise history by getting swept by the Washington Wizards in the opening round of the playoffs.
While there was plenty of talk about how the team will make significant changes in the offseason, they kept the coach, kept the core intact and added a few new faces. For the most part, they had a fairly positive offseason with the acquisitions of Demarre Carroll, Cory Joseph and Anthony Bennett.
However, if you’re a Raptors fan, it doesn’t necessarily mean this team is going to be any better or go any further than they did last season.
Here’s why these are nervous times for Raptors fans…even if things look a big rosy after the offseason.
Lowry’s Inevitable Regression
Kyle Lowry has proven that he can perform at an All-Star level in each of the last two seasons but after finally receiving that honor last year, he really took a step back down the final stretch and in to the playoffs. Part of the problem is that Lowry was admittedly not in the best shape and while he spent the offseason working hard to cut down his weight and prepare for this year, the reality is that he isn’t getting any younger. His all-out style of play continues to wear him down.
Lowry has the potential to play at an All-Star level in spurts but can he sustain that level of play for a full year when he is set to turn 30 years old this season? He’s a heart-and-soul player who hits the clutch shots. If he’s not doing it for this team, they’re not going deep in the playoffs.
DeRozan’s Role As A Core Piece
DeMar DeRozan was an All-Star just two years ago but the advanced metrics don’t support the idea that he is a premier player in this league. It has shown in each of Toronto’s last two playoff appearances. DeRozan isn’t the most efficient player but the Raptors opted not to trade him this offseason despite rumors that they had considered it and there are obvious concerns about his role as a core piece.
There has been talk about moving DeRozan to the small forward spot in order to go with a smaller lineup this year with Lowry and Cory Joseph playing together in the same backcourt, but it’s hard to imagine DeRozan being more effective on the wing. His shot selection is the main concern as he takes a ton of contested pull-ups from at least 10 feet. We’ll see if his efficiency change but if not, the Raptors may have to use him in other ways.
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Valanciunas Has Not Developed As Expected
There is no doubt the Raptors view Jonas Valanciunas as a core piece and while he is still only 23 years old, there is reason to be concerned about the fact that he is still behind schedule in terms of reaching his potential. Valanciunas has the size and skill to be a quality starting center in the NBA but he has struggled with consistency and his defense might never be as good as the team would like it to be. He’s been riding the pine in a lot of fourth quarters. They need him to entire the prime time. If not, he’s just another starter who is underachieving.
The East Is Better This Season
It’s amazing that there is so much negative talk surrounding a Raptors team that clinched a division title with 49 wins last season. However, the reality is that they were swept in the opening round against a Washington team that many thought would surrounding this team going forward. Making matters worse is the fact that the rest of the East has actually gotten better, which means that even though Toronto should get back to the postseason, playing out of arguably the weakest division in the league, they will still have a tough time winning a playoff series. Cleveland, Atlanta, Chicago and Washington all look at least the same or better on paper while Milwaukee, Boston, Indiana and Miami should all be better teams. The Eastern Conference has gotten a lot better this offseason and that is even more reason to be nervous about the Raptors heading in to the 2015-16 NBA season.
