The Toronto Raptors had a meh offseason despite being one of the most talked about teams this offseason. Not saying that is necessarily bad in terms of the upcoming campaign. But the Raptors need to figure out the direction they are going shortly, and they have several questions to answer before the start of the season. Therefore, Toronto starts at No. 25 in my first NBA Power Rankings.
2023-24 NBA Offseason Power Rankings: No. 25 Toronto Raptors
Toronto is coming off a 2022-23 season where it posted its second-worst record over the past 10 years at 41-41. The Raptors made the Eastern Conference play in-tournament but fell to the 10th-seeded Chicago Bulls in the No. 9-10 game.
That’s when things started to get hairy. The Raptors fired Nick Nurse and replaced him with first-time NBA head coach Darko Rajakovic. Rajakovic came to the Raptors after being an assistant in the Association for nine years, with the last three being with the Memphis Grizzlies. He served as head coach of NBADL Tulsa 66ers, posting a 51-49 record from 2012-14.
Prior to the start of the NBA’s new year (July), Toronto knew where they stood as three players with player options had decisions to make. Otto Porter Jr. unsurprisingly opted in, and a somewhat of a surprise, Gary Trent Jr. also exercised his option. Porter, an excellent shooter and defender, was limited to just eight games this past season due to injury. Meanwhile, Fred VanVleet opted out and ultimately signed with the Houston Rockets.
Raptors Offseason
Toronto did add Gradey Dick (No. 13 2023 draft), Dennis Schroder, and Jalen McDaniels and re-signed Jakob Poeltl. Dick demonstrated his scoring prowess during summer league action, but he struggled shooting the ball, which was what he was known for at Kansas.
Shooting was a weakness for the Raptors last season, as they ranked 27th in field goal percentage and 28th in 3-point percentage. While the Raptors were fourth in scoring defense, they allowed opponents to shoot 49.1% from the field and 37.4% from the 3-point line — both marks were in the bottom five in the league.
If Dick can’t find his shooting touch before the season, the Raptors could be in trouble. Schroder is a couple of notches below VanVleet as a point guard. Plus, can Rajakovic handle being a head coach and improve the defense?
While rumors have been circulating that Toronto was willing to trade OG Anunoby, the Raptors have taken him off the trade market, according to Ian Begley of SNT.tv.
However, trade rumors surrounding Pascal Siakam and Porter are still swirling around. In addition to those two players, Trent, Thaddeus Young, and Precious Achiewa will be free agents next summer. Therefore, if not before, all will likely be trade candidates around the trade deadline.
Best Decision: Re-signing Jakob Poeltl
While the $78 million for four years that Poeltl agreed to stay with the Raptors may seem like a lot for a player who made $6.2 million last season and never made $9 million in a year, Toronto had no choice. Poeltl was reportedly seeking around $20 million a year, and they gave up a lot to acquire the 7-1 center from San Antonio. The Raptors sent Khem Birch, a 2023 second-round pick (Sidy Cissoko), a 2024 first-round (top 6 protected), and a 2025 second-rounder.
Poeltl is an underrated center. The 28-year-old is nearly unstoppable around the basket and almost automatic from 16 feet and in. He also is an elite offensive rebounder and ranked 15th in defensive rebound percentage this past season. Poeltl is also a quality low-post defender and an excellent shot-blocker. Toronto posted a 15-11 record with Poeltl in the lineup in 2022-2
Worst Decision: Not Improving Their Shooting
As stated above, Toronto was one of the worst shooting teams in the league. The Raptors made the 19th most field goals though they attempted the fifth most shots. 3-point shooting was their biggest issue as they averaged 10.7 made threes, the third-lowest in the league. VanVleet led the way with three treys per contest though Trent and Anunoby averaged over two triples.
Toronto didn’t do much to improve their 3-point shooting besides adding Dick. Poeltl is not a threat from the perimeter, and while McDaniels has improved from deep, he is still a below-average 3-point shooter. Schroeder will attempt several threes a game but only shoot it at a 34% clip for his career.
What’s Next? Training Camp
Unless Toronto trades Siakam, it looks like the Raptors’ roster is set. They have 15 players with fully guaranteed contracts, and their three two-way slots are filled. The Raptors are also just over $5.2 million under the luxury tax.
