Grading the Toronto Raptors
TORONTO — Before the season, Raptors fans would have taken the team’s record at the halfway point every time: 2714. The route to that mark has been bewildering, though.
Instead of improvements from the team’s young players, supposedly part of the core, the Raptors have thrived because of the all-star play of Kyle Lowry and the relative excellence from the bench.
The Raptors have a great shot at the first 50-win season in franchise history, and have virtually clinched the Atlantic Division already. However, without some significant progression in current areas of concern, the accomplishment could end up feeling surprisingly empty.
DeMar DeRozan, swingman 20 games, 18.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 41% FG, 16.2 PER
C+
When he has been healthy, he has been off of his all-star pace from last season. However, his 21-game absence coincided with a bad stretch for the Raptors — particularly on defence. The team will need DeRozan to reassert himself as a force getting to the freethrow line to succeed.
Amir Johnson, forward/centre 38 games, 9.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 58% FG, 15.9 PER
B—
We have watched Johnson crumple to the floor, slow to get up, so often. However, his scoring and rebounding numbers are on par with last season, and the defence has been poor with him on the bench. His forthcoming free agency will be fascinating.
James Johnson, forward 37 games, 8.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 59% FG, 17.6 PER
A—
For the most part, Johnson has cut out the ill-advised shots from his first stint in Toronto, focusing on his post-up game and funky drives with the ball. He still has room to grow as a team defender, but his one-on-one defence is the best on the team. A steal in free agency.
Kyle Lowry, guard 41 games, 19.8 PPG, 7.6 APG, 43% FG, 22.3 PER
A
He has been in a personal slump, along with the team, over the last three weeks. Still, Lowry might have been the Eastern Conference’s best player through two months, carrying a huge offensive load for the team without DeRozan. He is having one of the best seasons in franchise history.
Terrence Ross, swingman 41 games, 11.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 42% FG, 11.6 PER
C—
Poor on-ball defence and a lack of offensive progression have caused Ross to lose his starting spot for the moment. He has shown little improvement as an offensive creator. The Raptors need Ross to come into his own in the second half in order to have a serious shot at beating the East’s best in the playoffs.
Jonas Valanciunas, centre 40 games, 12.6 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 55% FG, 20.4 PER
B—
Two major holes in Valanciunas’s game continue to linger: his inability to recognize a double team on offence and his defensive instincts. Valanciunas’s rebounding and touch are getting better, which means improving on his weaknesses could raise the Raptors’ ceiling tremendously.
Dwane Casey, coach 27-14, 109.3 offensive rating (4th), 104.6 defensive rating (20th)
B—
The overall record is great, but there are concerns on the fringes. Casey is still hesitant to trust Ross and Valanciunas — with good reason sometimes — while the defensive scheme has simply not worked for the team. Without major upticks on both of those fronts, the Raptors might be facing another one-and-done trip in the playoffs.
Masai Ujiri, General manager
B+
Ujiri’s two biggest offseason acquisitions, Lou Williams and James Johnson, have been unqualified successes. The contracts for Vasquez, Patterson and particularly Lowry seem fine. However, much bigger decisions — whether to significantly alter the roster before the trade deadline, whether to bring back Amir Johnson and Williams, whether to extend Ross and Valanciunas — loom. The next 10 months will be massive for Ujiri.