Raptors likely not done dealing
TORONTO • The three- time defending Atlantic Division champion Toronto Raptors return to action on Friday at home against the new top dogs of the division, the Boston Celtics.
About 70 per cent of the way through an up- and- down regular season, the Raptors will need to make up four games on Boston with 25 to play. Friday’s tilt come a day after the NBA’s trade deadline. Masai Ujiri and Co. made an impact move already, acquiring Serge Ibaka, but what comes next?
Here are four burning Raptors/ NBA questions:
1. Is Toronto done dealing?
With the Cavaliers’ Kevin Love out until April — at the earliest — and Cleveland and Washington ( also ahead of the Raptors at the moment) lacking in depth, Boston lacking in star power and experience, Ujiri believes his team can make a repeat run to the conference final. If all breaks right and LeBron James finally wilts from carrying franchises on his shoulders for so long, maybe a Finals trip is even possible. But the front office knows that won’t happen without another addition. That’s why they are trying to land a small forward ( DeMarre Carroll is the only natural small forward on the roster) or even a combo big like P. J. Tucker. Wilson Chandler would be more expensive, Thabo Sefolosha less so. With a glut of point guards and power forwards and a first rounder to dangle this year or in the future, Ujiri has some chips available to cash in for a needed rotational piece.
2. Can the Raptors find a way to cut down Kyle Lowry’s minutes?
Nobody has averaged more minutes than Lowry’s 37.7 a night this season. Only James Harden (in one more game) and 21- year- old Andrew Wiggins have played more total minutes. Even triple- double machine Russell Westbrook has played nearly 200 fewer minutes. The heavy workload hasn’t been due to irresponsibility on the part of the team — it has been out of necessity. DeMar DeRozan missed some time due to injury, backup Cory Joseph struggled and the team has cratered without Lowry. Toronto scores 13.4 more points per 100 possessions with Lowry on the court than when he rests. He needs to be on the floor — a lot — but he is also turning 31 in a month and absorbs a ton of contact at both ends. He burnt out under a similar workload two seasons ago and was injured and dreadful as the team got swept by Washington. That can’t happen again. Joseph has shown flashes of a revival lately and Delon Wright impressed in his first two appearances of the year post-injury.
3. Whither the Atlantic?
Boston is playing .649 ball despite various injuries and boasts a treasure chest of assets that are the envy of the NBA. The big boss, Danny Ainge, has sat on his haul for a long time, but the rumour mill has connected the Celtics to Bulls superstar Jimmy Butler again and the team covets Paul George as well (it’s highly unlikely Indiana moves George). Boston likely holds onto the potential No. 1 pick of this summer’s draft (via the Brooklyn Kevin Garnett/ Paul Pierce robbery), but can still offer an enticing package for Butler without it. Meanwhile, last- place Brooklyn is trying to move top player Brook Lopez for picks and/or prospects; The woeful Knicks would like to engineer a divorce from Carmelo Anthony, but he would have to agree to any move and Bryan Colangelo’s Philadelphia 76ers still have a frontcourt dilemma to resolve.
4. What will Toronto’s new rotation look like?
We’ll ignore any followup moves for now and concentrate on how quickly they can integrate Ibaka. He will start at power forward beside Jonas Valanciunas and help shore up a number of problem areas.
“He’s going to definitely bring defensive presence that we need, rim protector,” Carroll told Postmedia. “We can’t allow teams to get second chances on us because of a lack of rebounding, lack of rim protection. He’s definitely going to bring that and he’ll bring spacing on the floor.”
As he gets adjusted, Ibaka might be held to about 30 minutes a night, assuming Patrick Patterson is ready to return as a 25-28-minute big man off of the bench after missing most of the past month. Ibaka and Valanciunas should share the third offensive option role behind DeRozan and Lowry.
Norman Powell will replace most of the small forward minutes Terrence Ross played and Wright might chip away at Joseph’s minutes either behind or alongside Lowry.